


Dark Family

by VikingWoman



Series: The Guilds [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Betrayal, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Dark Brotherhood Questline, Dark Magic, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Magical Tattoos, Murder, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 45,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23058853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VikingWoman/pseuds/VikingWoman
Summary: Cicero brings the Night Mother to the Falkreath Sanctuary hoping to find a new home but these people aren't like the rest of the Dark Brotherhood. They don't follow the Tenants and they don't respect the traditions of the Dark Brotherhood. He fears for the safety of the Night Mother and the old ways.Rhiannon is the only other surviving member of the Cyrodiil Dark Brotherhood and has come to Skyrim to find Cicero. The only hope she has of keeping the Brotherhood going is if she can find him. When they are reunited he sends her on an important mission to the Hold of Windhelm to find the Listener.Astrid suspects there is treachery afoot in the Sanctuary and she is starting to feel a dark presence among them. She knows it's the Night Mother and she knows that the only way to end it is to get rid of the Cyrodiil Brotherhood remenant.
Relationships: Arnbjorn/Astrid (Elder Scrolls), Cicero (Elder Scrolls)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Guilds [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1657186
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Old Friends

Rhiannon arrived on the docks of Windhelm close to nightfall and could see the dock workers already winding down for the day. The only ones that seemed to still be working were the ones getting ready to help dock the very ship she was on.  
The workers were waiting to catch the ropes that the ship hands were tossing to them to tie off the ship to the docks. Once the dock hands had the ropes they helped pull the ship slowly into the dock and then tied it off.  
Once this was done Rhiannon grabbed her few belongings and walked towards the plank the captain was lowering to the dock.  
"Well miss, it has been a pleasure having you aboard." he said giving her a toothy smile.  
He was a Nord man and had been perfectly polite for the whole of the trip, he had also ensured the rest of his men had been just as polite. She had liked him well enough though she couldn't really remember his name from any of the other Nords that had been on the ship for the trip.  
"Thank you captain. It was a very smooth trip." she said nodding to him.  
"For that we should thank the Nine." he said smiling. "There are pirates in these parts you know."  
"So I've heard." she agreed nodding.  
"Well, if you ever need another trip anywhere remember us. We would be more than happy to escort you and your husband should you need it." the captain said nodding.  
Rhiannon thanked him and stepped off of the ship onto the plank, carrying her satchel close to her body under her thick fur cloak. When she reached the dock there were workers there to point her up into the city and she followed the way they had pointed.  
As she walked along the docks she saw young dark elf children and adolescent Argonians moving along the docks. They were the dock workers children she was sure and though they were more than likely going to be dock workers as well, for now they were just joyful children. She could see them excitedly playing with wooden swords and as she passed they gave her a wide berth, she knew that must be because of the bigotry she had heard about in Windhelm.  
She knew that for now at least the land was in a civil war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks over the banning of Talos worship. She had never believed in the god personally but apparently the Nords felt very strongly about the man turned god.  
She did get a few looks as she walked up the stairs into the city from the Nords she passed, she knew it was because they spotted her for an Imperial. They wouldn't trust her but she didn't care, after tonight she would be leaving the hold making her way to the center of Skyrim. She had received the last tip on her 'husband's' location from an old friend she had helped many years ago saying he was in Whiterun.  
She had to find him. To her understanding she was the only one left other than him from the 'family' in Cyrodiil.  
When she reached the Candlehearth inn and paid for a room she was pointed to the closest room. The inn keeper also told her if she was hungry or thirsty to go upstairs where the barmaids were working. She walked to her room placing some of her things in the room, save anything that could have her identity found out.  
When she went upstairs there were quite a few people sitting around the tables drinking and eating. She saw a few men that appeared to be soldiers as well sitting closer to the back of the drinking hall, they eyed her as she took a seat at the empty table. A half dressed barmaid walked over to her with a smile on her face.  
"You're a new face." she said smiling. "What can I get for you?"  
"What do you recommend?" Rhiannon asked smiling.  
The barmaid looked to the back of the hall at the soldiers "Keeping out of trouble. We have a very good potato soup made right now and the ale here is very good."  
"I'll try those." Rhiannon said handing her the gold with a bit of a tip.  
The barmaid smiled and made her way downstairs to gather get the purchased food.  
Rhiannon saw one of the soldiers stand and start to stumble his way towards her. When he reached her he put a hand on the table leaning heavily on it to keep from falling over, he was a red haired man with a thick beard covering his face. He looked at her and smiled missing one of his front teeth.  
"Hello little lady." he slurred smirking. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing here? You some kind of spy for the Empire?"  
"I'm no spy." Rhiannon said frowning. "I'm here looking for my husband, we were separated when Cyrodiil."  
He frowned swaying a bit "And where is he supposed to be?"  
"We are meeting in Whiterun."  
"You could be lying." he said leaning forward pointing at her.  
"Why would I tell you that I have come from Cyrodiil if I was a spy wanting to stay hidden?"  
The man straightened and gave a slight scoffing sound as he glared at her. He turned away from her and looked back towards his friends in the back of the drinking hall. They were smiling and chuckling from what she could see, they were still drinking whatever it was in they had in the tankards.  
"I should run you in and have you questioned by the Jarl's men." he said smirking. "I think that's what I'll do."  
Rhiannon's hand went to the folds of her fur cloak to grab the blade she had hidden there, it was an orcish dagger with a wickedly sharp curved blade. She was confident that one swipe across his throat would be all it would take to bring the man down. She kept the blade sharp and ready to bring down any who would stand in her way.  
When he turned back to look at her he gave her a wicked smile leaning down "I could be persuaded to look the other way though."  
"Oh?" Rhiannon asked "I've done nothing wrong, why should I even entertain this accusation?"  
"Because it won't matter if you're guilty or not when they question you, Imperial."  
Rhiannon remained silent as if she were thinking long and hard about what he was saying.  
"I could meet you in my room." she offered. "You could join me after I have eaten."  
"What about your husband?"  
"He doesn't need to know."  
The man smirked and agreed that he would follow her down to her room when she got up from the table, if she tried to escape him then he would have the guards take her. She agreed and watched as he walked away from her back to the rest of his friends, she heard the hissed remarks about her from the back of the hall.  
When she looked up she could see a few people casting her sympathetic glances and the barmaid was quick to come back over to the table from where she had been watching.  
She gave a sad smile "I'm sure your husband would rather you do what you have to to be safe than get carried off to the guards."  
"Are all of them like him?" Rhiannon asked softly.  
"No. There are some that are worse." the barmaid said "Ulfric doesn't keep his soldiers in check often enough here. I"m told the Imperials don't behave this way."  
"I wouldn't know."  
The girl nodded her head and then walked off to join another barmaid to carry the soldiers more mead.  
Rhiannon ate the potato soup and drank the ale the maid had brought her, she had to admit that both had good flavor to it. When she had finished the meal and her drink she set those to the side getting to her feet. She watched the man out of the corner of her eye as she went down the stairs to the rooms, he was on his feet stumbling after her in only a moment.  
When she got into the room she quickly stepped to the side pulling the knife out of the hidden folds it had been secured in. She had just placed herself behind the door when it swung open and he stumbled into the room kicking the door closed behind him. He stopped in the middle of the room and was about casting his eyes around quickly until she touched his arm jerking him around. The look in his drunken eyes when he saw her was something she would remember for a long time.  
The blade sliced across his throat easily has she had expected and the blood gushed from the wound. He reached up to grab at the wound trying to stop the blood flow, she watched as the dark red blood spilled out from between his fingers. Before he could just drop to the floor Rhiannon grabbed him shoving towards the bed instead of letting him hit the floor. She cleaned her knife on a clean patch of his shirt before stowing it away again.  
Once he was there she grabbed her bag from where she had tossed it sliding it over her shoulder. She put her ear to the door listening to the sounds out in the hall just incase any of his friends had followed him. When she didn't hear anything she opened the door looking out into the hall. No one was waiting but she would be sure.  
Digging into her satchel she pulled out an invisibility potion drinking it down quickly. Once invisible she stepped into the hall pulling the door closed behind her as she walked. She moved so quietly that even when she passed by a guard entering the inn he didn't even notice her.  
Rhiannon made her way out of the city and towards the stables. It was so dark now she didn't really expect to see any hired wagons but she did see a set of horses for sale. She knocked on the door offering to purchase one of the animals with extra money thrown in if they would sell her one now. The stable master readily agreed accepting the money and then he pointed to the stables telling her to take the one in the furthest stall.  
Rhiannon walked to the end to find a black and white horse with hair over it's hoofs in the stall. The horses of the Skyrim were hardy creatures and built for the cold weather they suffered from. She tied her satchel to the saddle and pulling her heavy cloak tight against the wind, she swung into position ready to set off.  
Setting off Rhiannon started along the road heading for the Hold of Whiterun.

Rhiannon arrived at the Hold within a good amount of time, the sun already up when she rode up to the entrance of the city. She stopped at the stables and to question the workers that were there tending the horses.  
"Greetings Imperial." the eldest man said stepping forward. "Stable your horse for you?"  
"I'm not sure just yet." she admitted. "I was hoping you could help me. I'm looking for my husband, we were separated during an... attack on the road a few weeks ago, I was hoping you had seen him."  
"We get lots of travelers through here. Can you describe him?"  
Rhiannon paused briefly looking around them, there didn't appear to be any eavesdroppers in the area.  
"He is dressed in jesters garb and should have a wagon carrying a heavy load. It's his mother we are bringing her to her new resting place."  
"Oh him." the stable master said face twisting with worry. "He was certainly memorable. He was here days ago, heading south to Falkreath he said. Strange man, if you don't mind me saying."  
"Yes that would be him." she agreed. "Thank you for your help."  
Rhiannon turned the horse back towards the road but was stopped when the man called to her again. His face was worried and as he stood looking up at her, she could feel a chill creep down her spine over the look.  
"I'm sure you know him quiet well but I will say.... there are rumors in the hold."  
"Rumors?"  
"A couple of farmers near where he traveled were found murdered in their home two days after he had passed this way. There is talk he was involved, I'm sure you know your husband well enough though."  
"He's harmless I can assure you. He has not been right in the head since our loss." she said forcing tears to her eyes.  
The stable master looked shocked and embarrassed now as he apologized for upsetting her, quickly backing away from her. He gave her a sympathetic look as she turned back to the road heading south to Falkreath.  
She smiled wiping the tears away from her eyes. She had to find him and if she knew him as well as she believed she did then he was heading for the Falkreath Sanctuary. The only one still standing for the Dark Brotherhood in the land of Skyrim, possibly in all of Tamriel after the attacks in Cyrodiil. All of the sanctuaries there had been destroyed by the Imperial soldiers and guards of the cities, she had barely escaped with her own life.  
She had known Cicero briefly before the attacks and had heard rumors that he had survived from a few confidents the brotherhood had kept over the years. They had given her information that he had hired a wagon to carry a large sarcophagus to the lands of Skyrim.  
There had been nothing left for her in there home land so she had decided to try following him. During her travels she had heard so many different stories about a jester carrying his mother's corpse around and that at first he had arrived in Dawnstar.  
She knew from her studies of the brotherhood that there was an abandoned sanctuary in the city hidden in the rocks along the shoreline. She wondered why he would stop there but then there was word sent to her that he had left the city of Dawnstar heading south. She had heard this before getting on the ship to Windhelm so that had been the last words she had heard of the mad man.  
As she traveled south she came through a small city that the sign outside of the city called Riverwood. There was an inn and as she debated heading further south she gave a small yawn. She needed rest, and this might be her last chance to do so before she rejoined her people.  
Rhiannon climbed off of he horse tying him at the post in front of the inn called the Sleeping Giant. Rhiannon walked up the steps and went inside, she could at least ask if they had seen him come through the town.  
Stepping into the inn Rhiannon cast her eyes around examining the large room, it was similar to the other inns she had seen in Skyrim in a previous trip to the land. The fireplace was in the center of the inn already roaring with life, there were table pushed against the walls with food set out on them, a Nord bard was standing in the corner playing a lute, and to the left of the entrance was the bar. Just before the bar were the door to the rooms they no doubt rented out to travelers.  
Rhiannon stepped over to the bar and she could feel the eyes of the other patrons on her.  
"Welcome to Sleeping Giant inn, if you need some food I can help you and if your looking for a bed talk to Delphine." the Nord bartender said smiling.  
"Thank you. And Delphine is?"  
"That would be me."  
Rhiannon turned to see a middle aged blond Nord woman, she had deep lines across her face and her eyes were alert despite the tired look to her face. She frowned when she got a good look at Rhiannon and tilted her head slightly, she looked at her as if she knew her. Rhiannon was certain that they didn't know one another.  
"I would like a room for the night." Rhiannon said frowning slightly.  
"Of course. We have one available now actually. I'll show you the room." she said nodding as Rhiannon placed the coins in her hand.  
When they got to the room Rhiannon turned to Delphine who stopped watching her cautiously.  
"Have any other Imperials come through here lately?" Rhiannon asked.  
Delphine was quiet for a moment then nodded her head "We have Imperials come through daily since the war started. Soldiers from all over come through here so I wouldn't ask too many questions around here."  
Rhiannon didn't miss the slight threat that was creeping in the older woman's voice. She just gave her a nod and waited for the woman to step out of the room, once she was out she closed the door locking it.

"Of course we're honored to have the Night Mother here with us and you as well Cicero." Astrid said a fake smile pulling at her lips.  
Cicero just smiled and clapped, acting the fool as he always did. No one suspected a fool, no one worried that their deaths would come at the hands of such a man. He could see the look in Astrid's eyes as she spoke telling them they were happy to open their doors to them. The Night Mother and Cicero.  
He could see the truth though, her eyes wer full of spite and anger when she cast them over the Night Mother. She didn't want her there despite the high honor it would bring to them to house the conduit to the dread father Sithis.  
She underestimated Cicero as well when she looked at him. She only saw a fool and mad man, this would benefit Cicero. She would pay him no mind so long as she believed him to be beneath her. Astrid felt more threatened by the corpse of the Night Mother then she ever would of him.  
Once everything was said and done they helped him carry the heavy coffin into a room appropriate for her. There of course was a bed sitting in the corner where he was welcome to bed down when he needed to, he was told.  
Cicero looked around the room noting the two entrances to the room and then there was the stain glass window behind where they had set the coffin. It of course depicted the skeletal head of Sithis, or at least how they always depicted him in brotherhood artwork. He looked over the remainder of the room and found an old wooden dresser where he could store his belongings. He had very little in the way of personal effects.  
He had the clothes he was wearing, some more normal clothing that he laid into the dresser, his dagger, and his journals. He placed everything into the dresser, only using the one drawer.  
With everything unpacked her turned to the coffin stepping forward to press his hand to the cold stone surface.  
"Oh, Mother what ever shall we do?" he whispered. "They don't follow your tenants and I fear the woman Astrid already plots against you. If only you would speak. If not to Cicero then to someone, we need a Listener."  
He waited in silence for her to speak but nothing happened, nothing ever happened when he spoke to her. She was always silent, always quiet when he spoke with her. It was a bit hurtful, he had served her for so much of his life now and yet he was never given any kind of acknowledgement for his efforts. He had even defended the tenants in her name when a false Listener had tried to claim leadership of the brotherhood.  
Of course he had been false, he didn't know the words that needed to be spoke. He had been killed by Cicero easily enough.  
Cicero sighed letting his hand drop from the coffin. He was utterly alone. The Mother would not speak to him, his sanctuary had been demolished, and it seemed he was the only one still following the old ways.  
Turning from the coffin he felt exhausted, he turned to face the room and walked over to each door in turn to lock them both. Then he collapsed into the bed with a sigh. He laid there for a moment and looked at the coffin from where he was laying, the cold silent tomb he thought sadly.  
Cicero rolled over to face the wall and drifted off to sleep.

He wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping when he opened his eyes feeling like someone was in the room with him. Cicero tried to sit up or roll away from where he was sleeping but he couldn't move. He tried to wiggle his fingers or his toes, anything really, nothing happened. He couldn't move.  
So he tried to speak. He couldn't open his mouth to speak either. He was stuck just facing the wall and unable to move, with whoever it was behind him in the room with him.  
Was there a traitor in the room with him? One of his own brothers or sisters come to do him in? He thought bitterly of Astrid and the resentment he had seen in her eyes, he should have known better than to let his guard down.  
"Cicero." a deep voice hissed.  
It sounded like it was behind, in his ear, all around him. It was deep and it drug out the word into the his speaking slowly.  
"Cicero." the voice repeated. "Go to Windhelm. Find Aventus Aretino, bring him to the Night Mother."  
The voice hissed slowly and Cicero felt a weight pressing in on him, he began to have trouble breathing the pressure was so great. Cicero actually felt afraid before suddenly the pressure was just gone. He could breath again and with a jerk he threw himself backwards onto the floor, laying on his back looking at the roof of his room. He was breathing heavily, body shaking from the experience  
He turned himself over onto his stomach looking up at the coffin for the Night Mother, had he left the coffin open when he had laid down? No he was certain he hadn't, in fact he hadn't been able to open the coffin in days. He probably needed to oil mother's corpse to ensure she didn't start to fall apart.  
From where he lay on the floor it felt as if those empty sockets were staring at him.  
"Was this a plan of yours Mother?" he panted. "You want Cicero to seek him out this Aretino do you?"  
Of course there was no response. Cicero stayed on the floor just letting his breathing get back to normal before he had stood back up. He had never experienced something like that and as he thought about the voice he wondered if maybe he had heard the voice of Sithis. Had their dark god spoken to him directly?  
Cicero walked over to the coffin and looked in to examine the Night Mother, she was unchanged from corpse he was used too. The same gray skin pulled tightly over the skeleton with the gaping mouth and empty eye sockets. It was the same Night Mother he had always served, though her skin was looking a bit dry. He would need to oil her before he even tried to leave the sanctuary, he couldn't trust anyone here to take care of her.  
Cicero turned to go check the alchemy cabinet where he knew he could find the items he would need to make the oil. He would oil mother and then slip out to go find this Aventus Aretino in Windhelm.

Closing the coffin, Cicero turned away from the Night Mother and began to pack a small bag of supplies for the trip. With everything done and the Night Mother taken care of he turned to leave his little room.  
He used the second door to slip out, it would take him out by the pool of water that was flowing in the little cave sanctuary. From there he may need to use some of his skills to slip by the other members that were moving about, though he felt that it was late evening. Maybe he would be lucky and they would all be resting.  
Cicero slipped down the stairs moving along the far side of the pool keeping a good distance between himself and the light from the forge they kept. He moved silently darting between each shadow where he would be hidden from view, there was no one walking around in the main area that he could see. When he got to the steps for the exit he started up them listening for the slightest sound to come from the rooms above him.  
He knew up the stairs Astrid kept her room with her husband, the dog Arnbjorn. The man was a werewolf so he would have a great sense of smell and hearing. Astrid would want to question him over his trying to slip out if she caught him.  
When he got to the top of the first set of stairs to look around at the empty map room. She was nowhere to be seen so taking a steadying breath Cicero darted across the room to the bottom of the second set of steps. Once he reached the top of the stairs he had a straight path to the black door that guarded their home. Moving quickly he reached the door opening it to the little clearing where they hid the entrance.  
Stepping out of the door into the clearing there was a small dark pool of bubbling water to the left and a path leading up to the road to the right. It was simply a worn foot path but he knew that it stood out like a sore thumb to any passing by along the road. He worried about this, this could lead to them being discovered just like the Cyrodiil Dark Brotherhood.  
When he closed the door behind him and turned he was now looking at a woman in a fur cloak, instead of the empty clearing. The two stared at each other for a moment and it occured to him he needed to get rid of her now. Cicero pulled out his dagger and he saw her turn her body to where she was angling her body, making her a smaller target. He smiled, it wouldn't matter after all.  
"You really shouldn't be here. No, no not at all. Cicero hates to kill you but it's what he must do." he said chuckling.  
She stayed angled away from him as he started to circle towards her.  
"I don't think that will be necessary, Cicero. Do you not remember me?" she asked her voice stern and even.  
If she was scared then she was very good at hiding it, he realized.  
"Cicero is not familiar with you." he said narrowing his eyes at her.  
She reached slowly lowering her hood so he could get a better look at her face. Cicero paused and tilted his head, she did seem familiar now. Her hair was long and black, pulled into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck the hair going under her cloak. Her eyes were bright green, skin pale like most Imperial women, with the sharp features he associated with the race. She was young but as he stared at her he realized the last time he had seen her she was much younger than she was now.  
He had met her when she was but a slip of a young girl, years ago though now he couldn't remember how long.

He had still been an assassin in the guild and not a Keeper, like he was now, when they had met. He was in his twenties at the time and when he had returned to the sanctuary from a fresh kill it was to see one of their eldest female members presenting the girl. She was maybe sixteen at the time if that and she looked so innocent with those big green eyes.  
She was dressed in the Dark Brotherhood armor already with two daggers on her hips. The woman waved him over to the group welcoming the girl to the guild, he stepped over not wishing to be disrespectful.  
"Cicero this is Rhiannon my niece." she said gesturing to the girl. "Rhiannon this is Cicero, he is one of the best members we have in this sanctuary."  
The girl gave him a brief nod almost a bow.  
"Greetings." he said nodding. "A killer already are you?"  
She gave him an almost shy smile stepping forward towards him her hand resting on his chest. Cicero's eyes widened at the contact and the smile she gave him made him catch his breath. Before anything was said he was dropping backwards and a dagger was flashing in the light.  
This he could handle, Cicero was quick to counter the dagger letting himself fall onto his back. He slapped the dagger away and rolled away from the girl as she moved forward her weapons already a blur of motion. The two traded a few blows while the rest of the guild watched, he had to admit the girl was skilled. They exchanged blows evenly neither managing to land a hit on the other as they twirled in a dangerous dance.  
When they had exhausted themselves they stepped away from one another, giving each other a look of new found respect.  
"You have skill." he told her giving her a nod. "I hope to spar with you again."  
She gave him a bright smile "You're to kind."  
Cicero walked by her slowly and reached out to give her back a friendly slap.  
It was the last time he had seen her though he knew the girl was quick to rise through the ranks of the guild, she was skilled. No one ever suspected such an innocent looking girl of being involved in murder.  
He was also called to be the Keeper not long after the meeting between the two but he remembered her.

"Sister Rhiannon?" he asked lowering his dagger his eyes wide.  
Rhiannon smiled he did remember her. She had hoped he would even though their first meeting had been so long ago and so brief. They had sparred together which was always an intimate thing in the guild, there had been a few people who had suffered accidents because of a sparring match gone wrong.  
Cicero hadn't changed since she had last seen him. He was still the young man that she had met in the sanctuary, his face pale, hair long and left loose down his back. He was wearing the red and black jester outfit that she had heard he had started wearing after one of his contracts. He was taller than her and as he stared at her she realized his eyes were flicking over her slowly.  
"I thought I was all that made it." Cicero said stepping towards her slowly.  
"I've been trying to catch up with you as soon as possible but .... there were difficulties." Rhiannon said meeting him halfway across the clearing.  
"You seem well." he said straightening.  
"I'm fine. I'm glad you seem unharmed. Did the Night Mother make it, I had heard that you were carrying the coffin with you?"  
"She is fine I have brought her here hoping that she would be safe."  
"Isn't she?"  
He frowned and glanced back to the Black Door. He was quiet for a few moments before he turned grabbing he arms his eyes wide again. He pulled her away from the door down the footpath dropping his voice down to a whisper.  
"Cicero dares not leave the Night Mother. I fear that the leader of this sanctuary does not follow our tenants as she should. There is treachery here." he whispered.  
"I understand." Rhiannon whispered nodding. "What would you have me do?"  
"Cicero needs you to travel to Windhelm and find Aventus Aretino." he hissed "Bring him to Falkreath and I will find a way to meet with you in the town."  
Rhiannon frowned, cringing inside. Returning to Windhelm might be difficult after what she had done to the soldier there, she knew there was no other conclusion that the city would come to other than she murdered him. She would have to find another way into the city and wondered if she could sneak in from the docks. She would have to figure it out as she went, she would need to make a stop at an alchemist before hand.  
"I will do as you ask." she agreed.  
Cicero smiled "Good, good. We will not have to leave the Night Mother unprotected. When it is done come find Cicero and we shall make our plans accordingly."  
Rhiannon bowed "As you say."  
She started to step away from the man but he grabbed her arm again holding her in place. She turned looking at him, for a moment it was as if the madness he had become known for had fled his mind. His eyes looked so clear and sure.  
"You must be safe sister Rhiannon. You and the Night Mother are all Cicero has left." he whispered.  
"I will do my best."  
He hesitated before letting her go "How did you find Cicero?"  
She chuckled "I asked a few people if they had seen my eccentric husband lugging his mother's corpse to be buried."  
Cicero's eyes widened and he gave her a large toothy grin. He nodded his head.  
"Yes, good. Keep that story. Tell any who ask that Cicero is your husband and we shall find a way to fit Aretino into these plans. Just do not let the Pretender Astrid find out that you are here." he hissed nodding eagerly.  
Rhiannon agreed and then Cicero released her arm moving back down the path for the Black Door. She turned pulling her hood back into place, it was not going to be an easy task to return to Windhelm. But for the Dark Brotherhood she would do what she must.


	2. Two Missions

Cicero went back into the sanctuary and made his way less quietly down the stairs then he had going up them. When he reached the bottom he saw Astrid standing over the map on the table, she looked up at him and stiffened. That was the only motion that betrayed that he had startled her, she hadn't known he had went outside.  
"Greetings Astrid." he said putting a big smile on his face. "Is there anything that Cicero can do for you?"  
Her eyes narrowed but she gave him an equally fake smile "Actually there is now that you mention it. I have a contract that needs doing, you'll be meeting Muiri in Markarth. She'll give you the details on your contract."  
Cicero ground his teeth to keep from refusing the contract, he needed everyone here to trust him. They had the Night Mother here and if they suspected he wasn't trusting them then they might try to destroy her corpse.  
"Cicero will have it done before you know it malady."  
"Good. Don't keep the contact waiting."  
Cicero turned back towards the stairs.  
"Oh, Cicero what were you doing outside earlier?" she asked before he could walk away.  
"Merely getting some fresh air." he said looking over his shoulder at her.  
She didn't seem to believe him but she didn't say as much.  
"It looks like Cicero shall be getting plenty of fresh air on his way to Markarth." he said smiling. "Farewell Astrid."

Once Cicero had disappeared along the road heading on his mission Arnbjorn walked back into the sanctuary, he walked down the steps to see his wife Astrid waiting for him. He gave her a toothy smile, that to most would appear feral.  
"What did you see?" Astrid asked him crossing her arms over her chest.  
"He met a woman outside in the clearing." he informed her. "At first it looked like they were going to fight but she took her hood off, so I suppose they knew one another."  
He was quiet for a moment so Astrid sighed coming around the table.  
"What happened then?" she demanded.  
"I couldn't quite hear everything they were saying but I did hear him call her his wife."  
"Wife?" she gasped stepping back eyes wide. "Who would marry that mad man?"  
"Some young Imperial woman, seemed pretty enough to have done better than that fool."  
They exchanged a knowing look between each other and she turned to look at the map.  
"I fear that there is treachery afoot, we should watch this man carefully." Astrid said then she looked back at Arnbjorn. "Find out what you can about this Imperial woman or put someone you trust in the guild to it."  
"I'll see what I can do." he said smirking deviously.  
Arnbjorn turned heading for the Black Door, planning to pick up the woman's scent along the road. There had been very few people along the road today, he was confident he would be able to pick up her trail.

Rhiannon was riding her horse along the road north, she would reach the city of Windhelm in good time but she kept getting the creeping feeling along her spine that someone was watching her. She pulled her horse to a stop yet again turning in the saddle to look behind her, she didn't see anything behind her on the road.  
She didn't see anything moving behind her and for a moment questioned if she was just being paranoid. Cicero had given her a lot to worry over in her mind regarding the state of the Dark Brotherhood. If the members here were truly going against the tenants so much so that he feared for the Night Mother's safety then she knew they could trust no one. It occured to her she might be followed by someone from the Brotherhood which wouldn't bode well for her mission.  
She would wait and see what she could catch the next time she got the opportunity. Whoever was following her already wasn't doing the best job if she could sense them there to begin with.  
Rhiannon continued on the road turning back face the path ahead. She didn't pass any other travelers on her way and the only things she encountered were a few harmless rabbits darting between the trees. She could hear the birds singing and the sounds of life in the woods around her. She didn't hear any sounds of someone following her.  
Rhiannon decided that if they weren't going to come any closer than she would continue along the road like she didn't know they were there. Maybe it would make them expose themselves to her.  
She worried that they may have been followed by one of the members of the Dark Brotherhood in Falkreath. They may have suspected Cicero was worried about them and thought the two of them were involved in a plot against them. Rhiannon was sure if she was being followed by a member of the Brotherhood than they wouldn't come into view unless they planned to kill her.  
She also knew she couldn't carry out her mission for Cicero if she was being followed.  
She hadn't yet passed by Whiterun Hold and decided she would go inside to stay for the night. She would wait and see if anyone followed her into the city, maybe she could even find a way to slip out of another part of the city to lose her follower. Rhiannon spurred the horse forward a bit more and she kept it in a trot as they rode through Riverwood in a short amount of time. A few people greeted her and she waved to them in politeness.  
When she reached the city of Whiterun and stopped to stable the horse the stable master stopped her, recognizing her.  
"Oh it's you." he said smiling. "Did you find your husband?"  
"Yes thank you." she said flashing him a large smile. "He is sending me back north to make some arrangements while he buries his mother."  
"That's good. What arrangements are you looking to make?" he asked curiously.  
"Looking for a place to live actually. We are trying to stay to the north as much as possible."  
"Hmm, I don't know if this is really what you're looking for but Morthal has some land for sale." he explained "I had a friend look at the land and he turned it down. Too swampy for his liking."  
"Swampy you say? I will have to go see it for myself." Rhiannon said thoughtfully.  
Swamp lands meant they would never have any unwanted visitors come by.  
"I do caution you though Morthal has had a problem with vampires of late."  
Rhiannon gave him the reins of her horse so he could stable the mount and she started up the path to the city gates. She turned to stare back at the country side and the people walking the roads around the city.  
She saw some farmers, a Khaljiit caravan moving along to setup shop outside the city, and of course there were a few people on horseback moving along the road. Rhiannon looked at the edge of the tree line for any sign of someone.  
It was there that she saw what she was sure was her pursuer. It appeared to be a man wearing tattered Brotherhood armor, no shoes, and carrying what looked like a two handed battle axe. She couldn't tell much of his features and as she stared he turned away from the city making his way back into the woods. He was heading back south towards the land they had just left and she knew that he had to be reporting to Astrid.  
Rhiannon turned to go inside the city, when she was stopped and questioned by the guards about her business in the city. She assured them her business was just a temporary stop on her way north east and she would be leaving in the morning. They accepted this answer and let her into the city telling her where she could find the local inn.  
Rhiannon asked them where she could find a courier stop in the city and they pointed her to the guards shack saying the courier had a cot separated from the guards. She thanked them and made her way inside.  
She went to the guard shack and stepped inside going to the courier.  
"Yes ma'am how can I help you?" the courier asked with a smile.  
"I need to send a message as soon as possible." she informed him.  
"Of course. Where will I be going and who will I be handing the letter too?"  
"Falkreath Hold. The man's name is Cicero, he will be wearing jester garb and may appear a bit crazy." she told him as he handed her a parchment and pointed out the ink on his desk.  
'Cicero,  
'I have reason to believe that I was followed from our meeting. I will take a longer route to my destination then planned.  
'I will send word on the success of my mission when I have completed it. The Father watch over you. Have care in you travels.  
'Rhiannon'  
She dried the ink, folded the paper, and sealed it with wax before handing it to the courier. Before she released the paper she made sure the man met her eyes and she gave him a cold smile.  
"I don't think I need to tell you this letter is to go to Cicero's hands only and be sealed when it arrives?" she demanded.  
The courier swallowed and nodded his head in a jerking motion "Y- yes of course."

Astrid waited for a few hours going about her regular duties within the Sanctuary and going through the rumors of contract possibilities. The Brotherhood hadn't had a Listener in years so they relied on rumors of someone performing the black sacrament to give them the heads up that there was a contract they needed to do.  
Astrid didn't put any faith in a mythical leader called a 'Listener', they had never had one in their sanctuary and had done very well for themselves in Skyrim. Cyrodiil had spent to much time trying to cling to the old ways and that had been their downfall, if they had let the skeletal corpse of the Night Mother go they wouldn't have lost their strongest members. She knew the stories of how the last 'Listener' had fallen and with her the rest of the Brotherhood slowly started to fall.  
When she had a few moments she slipped off from the others and walked up to the room that they had given Cicero. When she stepped into the room the first thing that anyone would notice was the large stone coffin that was situated in front of the stained glass window.  
The coffin was closed but Astrid stepped over to the doors and opened them.  
The Night Mother was inside head twisted to the side, wrapped in stained linen cloth with cord tied around it to hold the linen to the body. Her arms were crossed over her chest and the fingers looked sharp like claws. She stared at the corpse and as she looked into the eyeless sockets she felt like someone was looking back at her.  
Almost as if there was still life in the long dead woman.  
Astrid didn't know how long she stayed there looking into the empty sockets until a hand closed around her elbow. She jerked and slung her fist at the person touching her.  
"Easy. Astrid it's me." Arnbjorn said grabbed the woman's fist in his larger hand.  
"Arnbjorn?" she asked eyes wide. "I'm sorry.... I didn't hear you come in."  
His eyes flicked up to look at the open stone coffin and he gave a derisive snort shaking his head.  
"What are you doing in here with this old bag of bones?" he asked frowning.  
"Just thinking about the trouble this thing has caused." Astrid said fighting the urge to look behind her.  
Her skin was crawling like she was being watched by the thing.  
"You know we ought to burn it while that fool is away. It would save a lot of trouble for us." Arnbjorn said frowning.  
This morning Astrid knew she would have agreed with him on this matter, if they burned the Night Mother then there would be no need for a Listener. But now there was this prickling at the back of her mind that when she thought of getting rid of the corpse it just felt wrong. She actually believed there may be consequences for such actions against the woman's body, ones that she just wasn't ready for just yet.  
"I don't know, if we do it then we would need to kill the fool and right now he may be useful to us." Astrid said softly. "Let's just go."  
"Alright." Arnbjorn said slowly his eyes going back to the coffin. "Want me to close it, she's creeping me out?"  
"No, we'll just shut the door to the room." Astrid said.  
Astrid started walking, she just wanted to be out of the room now. The feeling of someone watching her was starting to make her nervous and uncomfortable, usually she was the one watching someone.  
When they had left the room closing it behind them Astrid felt a bit better and turned to walk along the hall for the main hall. The further she got from the Night Mother the better Astrid felt.  
"How did your mission go?" Astrid asked remembering where her husband had been.  
"I followed her all the way to Whiterun and she went inside. I didn't follow her in, she seemed to realize she was being followed kept looking around as she went." Arnbjorn said sighing. "But she didn't do anything out of the ordinary, nothing to make me think she's going to be dangerous to us. I have a few contacts looking into her for us."  
"As soon as you find out anything about her I want to know." Astrid told him. "I don't trust Cicero and if she is here with him then she is dangerous. I don't believe that she is just his unknowing wife."  
"I'll keep my ears open. Do you want me to head out to keep watch on her?"  
"No I have a contract the requires your expertise."  
"Just give me the details."  
"There's a Khaljiit traveler that someone wants dead, he knows some specail unarmed fight style you should watch out for."  
"I'll take care of it don't worry."  
Astrid nodded and watched as her husband walked away to complete his contract. She turned back to stare at the stained glass window where she knew the coffin would be.

Cicero had arrived at the city of Markarth just as he had been instructed to by Astrid and had spoken to the scorned lover Muiri. It was such a simple thing that the woman asked, kill the man that had once been her lover in his hiding spot in a dwemer ruin and if he was willing to also kill her former friend Nilsine Shatter- Shield in Windhelm. When he had heard the location of the second victim he had agreed to the extra death.  
He would go to the city of Windhelm first and maybe he would be able to meet Rhiannon in the city with this Aventus Aretino. They could make better plans and he wouldn't have to leave the Night Mother alone for to much longer than he expected.  
So Cicero hired a mount from the stables and set off on the road at a gallop.  
He had to admit as much as he was worried about the safety of the Night Mother he was enjoying being out of the Sanctuary. Before he had arrived in Skyrim he had acted solely as a Keeper in the Cyrodiil Brotherhood and wasn't allowed to go on contracts anymore. He was only allowed to care for the Night Mother and hadn't been able to kill in so long.  
Killing helped keep his madness at bay though even when he had his moments of clarity he still acted the fool. If he could get back into contracts his mind would be cleared again. He would become the assasin he once had been back before the Night Mother.  
His last contract before he had become a Keeper had been to kill a court jester and make sure the whole thing was as painful as possible for him, the client really hated the man. Cicero had seen why immediately when he had started torturing the man, all he did was laugh. He kept laughing up until he had taken his last breath, the echoes of that laughter had been all he had heard in his solitude caring for the Night Mother.  
The insanity that had followed him since was a horrible but he felt it allowed him to serve the Sithis. If he found this Aventus Aretinoe like Sithis wanted maybe he would start to lessen his madness.  
As he conitnued on his way he was starting to hear that laughter again, though he knew it was only in his head. Ie he were to ask no one else would be able to hear it, he knew they wouldn't he had asked once and had only gotten strange looks as answer. Cicero was the only one that could hear the laughter and there had been days he wondered what it would take to silence the sounds, he was certain it was his death.  
But then again he had sent that jester's soul to the Void when he had murdered him. The jester would no doubt be with Sithis when he died and ready to welcome him into the Void.

When Cicero arrived in Windhelm -pulling a cloak tight against the cold- he walked up to the gates and heard the guards talking quietly together.  
"You know that guard that was murdered all that time ago?" the guard asked softly.  
"The one they thought the butcher had killed at first?" the second guard replied.  
"Yeah that one. That woman he was seen with was sighted last night according to that barmaid, said she saw her around the Aretino house."  
"Did anyone go search the house?"  
"No. No one wanted to go into the house because of the rumors going around about the house."  
Cicero frowned and entered the gates surprised that neither of them even tried to stop him to question him, seeing as he was an Imperial. They didn't even seem concerned that a possible spy could be entering their city and he shrugged off the carelessness of the guards.  
Cicero knew it was late in the evening and most of the people in the hold would be back in their homes. That would make it easier to locate the Shatter-Shield girl in the city but his first thought was of finding the Aretino household and figuring out what was going on there. Cicero wasn't sure where that would be so he looked around the street planning to find someone to lead him there or point him in the right direction.  
He saw a beggar walking the street and decided he would be able to help him as well as anyone else. He waved the beggar down and showed him a handful of septims.  
"What do I have to do to earn those?" he asked frowning.  
"Cicero needs you to show him the way to the Aretino house. That's all."  
"Alright I can do that."  
Cicero followed the beggar along the snow covered streets to a house along the backside of the street heading into what looked like the slums of the city. The beggar pointed to the house and told him that was the Aretino house.  
"You here to take the boy back to the orphanage?" the beggar asked.  
"The boy?"  
"Aventus Aretino, he's the last of his family after all. Everyone has heard the rumors that he's trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood." the beggar said shaking his head. "It's a shame really, the poor child."  
"Hmm. Cicero will see what he can do."  
The beggar accepted his septims and then he walked away from the Imperial man.  
Cicero walked up the stone steps and tried the door finding it locked. He had a small talent at getting things open so he pulled out some lockpicks and the started working on the door. It didn't take very long and when the lock clicked he pushed the door open stepping into the dark interior of the house.  
When he stepped inside it was to a small landing that had stairs leading up to the rest of the house where a dim glow of light could be seen. Cicero crept up the stairs as quietly as he could and found himself in a storage area of the house where there were barrels and sacks no doubt full of food. The room the light was coming from seemed to be the living space of the house and so he turned to the room.  
When Cicero stepped into the room he sensed someone was moving to his right and he dodged pulling his dagger from his belt to defend himself. He found himself face to face with Rhiannon who also had her dagger drawn.  
"Cicero?" she asked surprised.  
"Sister Rhiannon." he said smiling.  
Cicero stood up straight and sheathed his dagger.  
The two exchanged nods and Rhiannon stepped back down the stairs to lock the door Cicero had just come through. Once that was done she called for Aventus to come out of hiding.  
A young boy slid out from behind some barrels that were in the corner and stood by Rhiannon. He was a Nord child with short dark hair, sharp blue eyes, and a pale face. He was thin but didn't seem to be starving from what Cicero could tell.  
"Aventus Aretino, this is Cicero." Rhiannon introduced the two then she sent the boy to sit at the table.  
Cicero rubbed his chin and frowned "A child? Why would Sithis want Cicero to take a child to the Night Mother?"  
"Sithis wanted him taken to the Night Mother?" Rhiannon whispered.  
The two Dark Brotherhood members looked down at the child and then jerked their heads to look at one another in shock.  
"You don't think-?" Rhiannon asked.  
"That he's the Listener? Cicero is starting to suspect this might be so."  
"He's just a child."  
"You were barely more than a child when we met in the Brotherhood." Cicero said rubbing his chin. "Yes I think this is what Sithis wanted."  
"I can't bring him to the Falkreath Sanctuary especailly if your fears of Astrid is true." she whispered stepping forward to lay her hand on his arm. "He'd be killed easily with no training."  
"You are right. We will have to hide the boy until we can get the Night Mother back to him."  
Rhiannon hesitated and seemed worried.  
"What is it, tell Cicero?"  
"I can take him to Morthal, there's land there for sale. I'll have a home built and when it's done I'll send word so you can join us."  
Cicero nodded in agreement and then turned to the boy.  
"Have you no family here?" he asked him.  
"No sir. My mother - she died and they sent me to the orphanage in Riften." Aventus said eyes tearing up. "That's why I performed the Black Sacrament so you could help me."  
"He wants us to kill the head mistress of the orphanage." Rhiannon explained "I was making plans to do just that if he would agree to come with me to meet with you."  
Cicero looked at the boy and then motioned for Rhiannon to follow him back down the stairs.

Rhiannon followed Cicero back down the stairs to where they were standing by the entrance to the house. He had a thoughtful look on his face and when he looked at her there was a smile pulling at his lips.  
"What are you doing here Cicero? I thought you were taking care of the Night Mother." she whispered.  
"Ah be calm Sister Rhiannon. Cicero has been sent by Astrid on a contract, I must act as if nothing is amiss or they will suspect us."  
"I fear they already do. I was followed as far as Whiterun by someone from the Sanctuary."  
Cicero frowned and his face twisted in anger at the realization.  
"This is not good Sister Rhiannon, not good at all." he muttered. "Take him to Morthal, buy the land, and Cicero will join you when he can."  
"I'll get it done. I'm going to head south first with the boy and take out the old lady in Riften."  
Cicero nodded his head in agreement "Cicero must finish his own contract and return to the sanctuary. If anything changes send a letter to the Falkreath inn."  
Cicero touched her arm briefly before slipping back out into the night.  
Rhiannon walked back up the steps to find the young boy still sitting at the table just moving food around on his plate. When she came back in he looked up eagerly and gave her a smile.  
"Will you do it? Will you kill Grelod the Kind?" he asked excitedly.  
"I will and your going to come with me." Rhiannon said nodding. "There are some things we need to talk about first."  
"Alright. What is it?" he asked tilting his head a bit.  
"First you will be traveling with me and coming to live with me from now on, alright?"  
Aventus nodded his head with a smile "I'll be one of the Dark Brotherhood?"  
"Yes and if we're right then I believe you're going to be very specail to the Brotherhood. But we move in secret and so you'll have to keep hidden."  
"How can I do that?" Aventus asked frowning.  
"From here on out I need you to remember, I am your mother now." Rhiannon said slowly making sure he understood. "I and my friend Cicero are going to be your parents from now on."  
"You're going to be my parents? Are you going to train me how to be an assasin?"  
"When we're somewhere safe. For now we need to pack your things and leave. So hurry up with that."  
Rhiannon waited for the boy to pack what few belongings he had left in the house and when he was done he was carrying a small bag. The cloak he wore was threadbare at best and wouldn't really keep out the cold, she frowned shaking her head. His family must have been poor before his parents passed away and therefor unable to buy him the things he would have needed growing up.  
Rhiannon sighed and shook her head.  
She never had a child before and now she was going to have to figure out the best way to take care of the little boy, starting with buying him a new cloak. When they got out into the street she knew that no where would be open for her to get him the coat tonight, she decided she would just break into the store to take one.

With the new cloak in hand, Rhiannon and Aventus made their way out of the city taking a back way out that she was sure the Imperial soldiers would love to know about. She disregarded the idea and they continued along the road to the stable to retrieve her horse. The stable master didn't say anything about her having a child with her where she hadn't had one with her before, if he recognized Aventus he made no mention of it.  
Once they were mounted up and on their way to Riften, Rhiannon told Aventus to get some sleep if he could. She knew they would be on the road for awhile and it would be better for him to get some sleep before they got to the dangerous city of thieves. It wasn't long before she felt the boy leaning back against her body already fast asleep depsite the slight shivers from the piercing cold wind.  
Through the night Rhiannon pointed the horse along the road picking her way through the snow and the wind. It was a few hours before dawn when she realized that it was starting to snow, if she could get further from the mountain then she knew she wouldn't have that issue.  
The further south they went the less snow she saw on the ground or falling from the sky, soon there was no snow though the air still had a bit of a chill to it. Once they were out of the snow it was easier for the horse to pick it's footing and they were able to move along the road faster.  
By the time the sun was coming up they could see the guard towers for Riften on the horizon. When they passed between the towers she saw the gates of the city and gave a sigh of relief at the sight. She turned her horse towards the stable, she could tell by the way Aventus was leaning against her that he was still fast asleep.  
She would leave the boy at the stable with the horse and go in alone to finish off this woman Grelod the Kind.  
"Aventus wake up. We're here." she said sharply.  
The boy shook himself and looked around surprised.  
"Are we going in there?" he asked timidly. "I don't really want to see Grelod again."  
"That's why you're staying out here with the horse and I'm going inside."  
"You'll be back right?"  
"Of course. After the job is done."  
She climbed off of the horse and looked at him.  
"Stay around the gate and I'll be back."  
Aventus promised he would and Rhiannon walked towards the gates.  
"Halt. You'll have to pay the toll to enter the city." one of the guards called stepping forward.  
"I'm not paying any toll to enter this city, this is extortion and I won't abide by it." she snapped walking past the guard.  
"Lower your voice. Alright, I'll unlock the gate." he grumbled cursing her under his breath as he opened the gate for her. "Stay out of trouble we'll be watching you."  
"I'm sure you will."  
"Is that your son?" the second guard asked.  
Rhiannon stopped and turned to look at Aventus who was standing with the horse feeding him an apple.  
"He is." she said turning back to the city. "He won't wander off or cause you any trouble he's well behaved."  
"I feel like I've seen him before. You two from around here?"  
"No we're not." she said keeping her voice even.  
The guard shrugged his shoulders and shook his head "My mistake then."  
Rhiannon stepped into the city and saw that the streets were still mostly empty due to the early hour. She walked through the empty streets sliding the dagger out of the secret pocket on her cloak as she walked to the center of town. She heard yelling voices and when she got to the center of the city she saw three people standing in front of a house with a Dibellan mark over the door. She recognized the symbol of the brothel.  
The three people standing in front of the house were throwing out a few drunks telling them that the 'temple of Dibella' was now closed and would open again that evening. Two of the people were Nord men that were both wearing steel armor and carried steel swords on their hips. The third person was a Wood Elf woman that was wearing a light leather armor and didn't appear to be armed.  
The drunks protested being thrown out but didn't actually try to fight the three instead they stumbled off presumably going to their homes.  
Once the drunks were gone the three turned around and started back inside the house without a backwards glance. The three closed and locked the door to the outside world of Riften.  
Rhiannon turned away from the sight and then she eased off heading for the house she could now see labeled Honorhall Orphanage. She walked up to the door and paused at the door looking around the area, there were no guards here at the moment their patrols taking them to the backstreets of the city. Rhiannon tried the door and was surprised to find that it was unlocked, she knew that the old woman didn't care about the children though this was surprising.  
When she stepped into the little building she found herself in a small kitchen. she didn't hear anyone moving around, she did hear the sound of snoring echoing through the building though. When she stepped to the closest doorway she found the source.  
What would have served as a large sitting room in any other house was where the children's beds were kept, all of them currently sleeping. Beyond that she saw a door that had a large lock attached to the door, she frowned at that but ignored it for now.  
Turning back to the small kitchen she was standing in she saw two doors on the opposite wall from the entrance. She opened the first one a crack and saw a young dark haired woman laying in a bed, this wasn't the woman she was looking for. Rhiannon pulled the door closed quietly and turned to the next door pushing it open. In that room was an old woman with a heavily wrinkled face laying in her bed snoring soundly, this had to be Grelod the Kind.  
Rhiannon stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She quietly stepped over to the sleeping old woman and pulled her dagger from inside her cloak, holding it at the ready. With a deep breath Rhiannon moved quickly, putting one hand firmly over the old woman's mouth forcing her head backwards. When the woman felt her hand she started to panic and try to make noise, Rhiannon leaned her body over the old woman's pinning her in place. Then she drew her dagger quickly across her throat, blood gushing from the wound.  
Rhiannon leaned back releasing the body and she stood up straight listening intently. There was no sound of someone stirring in the building.  
Rhiannon wiped her dagger clean on the old woman's dress then slipped it back into her cloak.  
Opening the old woman's door she peeked out to see that no one seemed to be out in the hall. Rhiannon stepped out into the kitchen again then slid herself towards the front door of the Orphanage. She opened the door looking out into the street, seeing no one she slipped out into the street.  
Rhiannon knew that Aventus would be pleased with her success.

It took longer then Cicero had thought it would but when he had finished his contract he was ready to return to the Sanctuary. He had done as requested by the woman Muiri and killed both of the targets. He had done so as quickly as he could he didn't want to be gone from the sanctuary to much longer.  
When he had finished his contract he had been surprised to note a somewhat mental clarity he hadn't had before. With each kill he made he had felt more like himself and with killing the woman's ex- lover he had to make a few extra kills. He hadn't wanted to be interrupted by any of the bandits the target kept company with so Cicero had made sure to slit a few of their throats. With them out of his way he was free to take out his true target.  
He felt like his old self, the man he had been before he had become a Keeper or before he had killed that blasted jester. He didn't hear the constant laughing or the ceaseless whisper of the madman. His mind was clear.  
"Killing seems to ease the madness." Cicero whispered to himself upon the realization. "I'll need to keep doing these jobs."  
Cicero smiled to himself, he could get used to this.


	3. Morthal

Rhiannon and Aventus arrived in the city of Morthal almost two weeks after the murder of Grelod the Kind in Riften. Rhiannon found that traveling with a child took her a lot longer then it had ever taken her alone. There was always the need to stop for something or to make camp for the night when he was unable to continue.  
Then there were the constant questions or the chattering about nothing really important.  
Rhiannon had never seen herself as the mothering type. She could train people on how to use her skills for murder and she knew that she could pass those on in a way he would understand. She wasn't so sure she could be the gentle handed mother that the lonely boy seemed to crave.  
When they got to the city Rhiannon had made a deal with a traveler leaving the city for the horse they had rode in on. He thanked her as he handed her the gold for the horse and mounted the animal. He warned her she might want to leave the city as soon as possible due to the fact that they were having vampire issues of late and then there had been the mysterious fire that killed two people.  
Rhiannon frowned and lead Aventus into town taking him to the inn, where she rented a room for them.  
"Stay here." she said when she had finished paying the innkeeper.  
"But why? Can't I go with you?" he pleaded  
"No, I have business to attend to with the Jarl's steward and if that goes well I have to speak with a few of the local tradesmen." she said firmly turning for the door.  
"Can I at least go play outside, see if there are other kids?" he asked.  
Rhiannon nodded her head and sighed "Fine but be back here before sun down."  
"Yes ma'am." he said with a wide smile.  
She watched him run out the door and out into the town to see if there were any other children to play with. When she stepped out onto the street she could see that he had already found a little girl to go play with.  
"Friendly child you have there." a man said to her left as she exited the inn.  
The man was in blue mages robes with a hood pulled over his head, he looked old but Rhiannon couldn't readily tell how old. He had what looked like a permenant scowl on his face as he stared out after the two children.  
"That your granddaughter?" she asked jerking her chin to the girl.  
"No. I took her in when her parents passed on, sad story that but I suppose we all have our time to go." he said shaking his head. "Falion's the name."  
"Rhiannon."  
"You thinking of staying in Morthal long Rhiannon?"  
"Looking into buying the plot of land that the Jarl is selling and building a house in the territory."  
Falion looked at the children before turning his eyes to her.  
"Give you some advice?" he said his voice dropping low.  
"I'm always open to hear advice."  
"Whatever you're hiding coming all the way up here. I'd keep it to my damn self if I were you." he said sternly. "You smell of death and I felt your presence the minute you entered town, other's will too. Your 'Dread- Father' hangs over you like a damn cowl."  
Rhiannon stiffened and narrowed her eyes at the old man.  
"I'm only looking after the boy." she said slowly.  
"He isn't yours is he?"  
"No more than the girl is yours."  
They stared at one another for a moment before he turned to look back at the two children.  
"I wish you two the best." he said before he turned to walk towards the houses attached to the docks.  
Rhiannon watched the old man for a few moments before she turned walking towards the Jarl's longhouse. She saw a few people walking about the street but most were huddled together whispering in fear. They gave her looks as she walked by them and some gave friendly smiles though they still kept their distance.  
When she stepped into the longhouse she saw what she assumed was the jarl, her steward, and a housecarl arguing together. Rhiannon stayed well back from them but close enough she could hear the arguements they were having. They were discussing the vampire problem partly and then the other part was the mysterious fire that killed two people. She heard them talking about how it was a mother and daughter that had died with everyone in town suspecting the father of being the one to burn the house down.  
They said the man had moved into the house of a woman named Alva.  
When they noticed her they stopped speaking of the house fire and the Jarl called her forward her eyes narrowing.  
"You who walk with death," she moaned looking at Rhiannon. "What do you want?"  
Rhiannon felt a chill go down her spine "I walk with death?"  
"It sits over you as a dark shadow. You are not like the others that come here." the jarl said quietly. "I - I have need of someone like you."  
Rhiannon frowned "I just wanted to discuss purchasing land in your hold."  
The Jarl's eyes narrowed the old woman frowning at her slightly.  
"I will not sell the land so long as this burden rests on my city." she said scowling. "You help us and I will help you."  
"What do you want?" Rhiannon asked with a deep sigh.  
"I need some one who is impartial to the evidence to check into something for me." the jarl said "There was a fire that took the lives of two of our citizens here in Morthal. I want to know if it was murder or just an unfortunate accident."  
"You want me to look into it? Then you'll let me purchase the land."  
"And I will give you the names of some able bodied souls to build for you."  
Rhiannon thought carefully before nodding "Deal."  
The jarl nodded her head and directed her towards the burnt house on the edge of town with a nod. The jarl gave the orders to the guards to grant her the liberties she needed to investigate the accident.

Rhiannon had to wait till dark to go and check the house because the jarl didn't want the woman to cause a stir in the town because they would be questioning who was in poking around. They didn't want someone from the outside causing trouble for them.  
A few hours after Aventus and most of the town had fallen asleep, Rhiannon slipped out of the inn making her way to the shell of the house. She had her hood thrown over her and was wearing the darkest leather armor she had in her possession, with it she could move through the shadows unseen by anyone not actually looking hard enough. Which was most of the town that was still awake including guards that were walking with them.  
She walked to the shell of the house and stopped in the empty doorway and looked around the area, it was starting to snow. The wind was picking up and she had to admit a part of her was starting to get a chill. Rhiannon shifted her shoulders and stepped into the ruined house.  
When she stepped inside the first thing she saw was a small apparition with a faint blue glow. The apparition turned to face her, it was a little nord girl. Rhiannon bent down to look at the little girl who turned to her with an eager look which fell when she stepped over to her getting a better look at her.  
"You're not my mother." she said her voice echoing in the wind.  
"No." Rhiannon said softly.  
"Do you know where she is?" she asked sounding nervous.  
Rhiannon hesitated before saying "No I don't. I can wait with you till she gets back if you'd like?"  
The little girl looked around the house and she seemed upset.  
"What happened here?" Rhiannon asked softly.  
"I don't really remember, it was dark and hot. So hot, there was a woman there with me and she gave me a kiss on the neck. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up I was by myself." she said softly. "Can - can we play a game till my parents come home?"  
"Sure." Rhiannon said softly.  
"Hide and seek!" she cheered.  
The little apparition disappeared and Rhiannon was left there looking at the empty space where the girl had been. She stood up and stepped into the burnt house lookin over the debris that hadn't been cleaned up. She heard the crunch of the ashes and the burnt wood under her feet as she walked through the house. She didn't see anything in the house that made her think that the fire had been set from the inside of the house.  
She stepped out side the house and walked around to the back of the house looking around the area. She had been told the fire had happened awhile ago so she was certain there wouldn't actaull be any evidence left at the house.  
With a sigh she turned away from the house looking around. She wondered if the ghost was really hiding or if she was gone then she heard the giggle on the wind. She turned towards the sound and looked up the hill behind the house, she frowned as she started walking up the hill.  
There was a lightly worn path in the snow that lead around the hill to where he sat overlooking the burnt town. When she reached the overlook she was met with a small family graveyard where there were two fresh graves. One of the fresh graves was child sized and had been dug up again with the coffin leaning precariously against hit's headstone. Rhiannon walked up to the tiny coffin and placed her hand on the wooden surface gently.  
"My mother's gone." the little girl's sad voice floated in the air. "There was a fire and papa couldn't get to us no matter how he tried. It was very hot and then it got cold.... I'm so thirsty...."  
Her voice faded on the wind and as Rhiannon was about to drift back to the city she heard the sound of running steps behind her. She dove to the side of the coffin as a fire ball blasted into the coffin followed by the shriek of a woman. Rhiannon stood up her dagger drawn in seconds as she turned to face the attacker.  
It was a woman with dark hair, it a slightly burnt dress, onne hand weilding an iron dagger, and the other holding another fireball at the ready.  
Rhiannon used the coffin and the headstones as cover as she darted from one to the other in the small graveyard towards the woman. She was able to keep the woman from doing anything more than burning the few headstones that were wooden, when she had run out of the available cover she ran body tilted low to the ground for the woman.  
Rhiannon saw the woman turn in surprise and start to stumble away from her trying to find the energy she needed to use more of her magic. When that failed her she lifted her dagger and charged trying to stab the assasin with whatever force she could manage. The woman came down with the dagger pointed towards Rhiannon as she got within range. Her dagger came down swiftly and Rhiannon used one hand to grab the woman's wrist while she drove her dagger up into the woman's gut.  
The woman's dagger cut into her shoulder slashing down the front of Rhiannon's armor leaving a wound from her shoulder down to the middle of her chest. It wasn't deep but it did start to bleed over her armor, red drops hitting the white snow. The dagger Rhiannon stabbed into her gut was twisted with the turn of her wrist before she ripped the curved blade from her body. She shoved the bleeding woman baackwards letting her fall into the snow.  
The woman's mouth opened in a quiet scream that turned into gasping for air. She laid their panting as the snow beneath her turned red and the color spread from her body. She hissed at Rhiannon with glowing yellow eyes.  
Vampire.  
Rhiannon stepped forward taking her boot pressing it into the woman's gut, grinding her heel. The woman let out a pained cry gripping weakly at her ankle.  
"Why'd you attack me?" Rhiannon demanded voice dropping low.  
The woman hissed at her trying once more to move her foot, Rhiannon pressed harder.  
"Don't make me repeat myself." she snapped.  
"You can't take her. She- she's mine." the woman said voice weak.  
"Who? The little girl?"  
She nodded her head yes slowly.  
"What happened to the girl and her family?" Rhiannon demanded.  
The woman panted looking up at her shaking her head "They'll kill me."  
"I'll make it hurt if you don't tell me. And believe me I'm good at it."  
The woman looked unsure.  
Rhiannon took her heel off of the vampire woman and leaned down to look her in the eyes. Then with quick hands she shoved one of her hands into the wounds clawing and grabbing at whatever exposed flesh she could to tear it. The vampire flung her head back with a scream her clawed hands coming up to grab at her. Rhiannon leaned away from her taking her other hand to grab one of the clawed hands.  
She grabbed her hand tight over the smaller bones in her hand and gave it a sharp twist, satisfied with the crunch under her hands. The woman screamed again even weaker then before.  
"I can make this quick or I can start skinning you alive next. Your choice bloodsucker." Rhiannon snapped.  
"Alva.... Alva made me burn it.... I didn't want to....Please, no more." she whimpered.  
Rhiannon frowned "What proof do you have?"  
"Her basement.... in the basement." she gasped.  
Rhiannon sighed looking up at the city then she glanced back at the woman. She took her dagger and quickly slashed it over her throat cutting as deep as she could. She felt the blade drag over the bone before she was satisfied that she had killed the woman.  
Rhiannon stood up ignoring the blood all over the snow, covering her clothing, and the bleeding wound on her chest. It was so cold she could barely feel any of it now anyway. She knew that probably wasn't a great sign as she walked back down the hill the wind sweeping through giving her a chill she felt to her core.  
She should see a healer about the wound or a doctor. Rhiannon walked down the hill and looked off towards the dock houses.

When the door opened and Falion peered out into the dark at Rhiannon, his look of suspicion changed to one of mild concern.  
"You seem to have gotten yourself into a bit of trouble." he scoffed. "What do you want?"  
"You know any healing magic?" she asked pulling the armor back a little.  
He leaned forward and pressed his fingers down on the wound making her wince slightly. He rubbed his chin and nodded his head.  
"Lucky for you it doesn't appear you've caught the disease." he muttered then he stepped back. "Sadly I'm not a healer, I do however have a needle and thread around."  
Rhiannon stepped into the small living space ignoring what she was sure were skulls laying on the shelves. He pointed her towards a chair and she sat down with a heavy sigh. When he returned her looked down at the wound and told her to remove her armor. Rhiannon stripped from the waist up to allow him to work on her wound.  
She wasn't a shy woman and he seemed to not care either way as he worked on the wound with hardly a glance. He pressed the needle into her flesh causing her to wince.  
"Sorry about the pain. I don't really have anything here for it. Like I said, not a healer." Falion said shrugging.  
"I can take it." Rhiannon said through gritted teeth as he worked.  
"So what did this?"  
"You seem to already know the answer to that. You said I didn't have the disease."  
"I did, didn't I?" he said shaking his head. "Got to get better at watching my tongue it seems."  
"You know there are vampires in town."  
"There's not much that I miss in this town. I had hoped it would work itself out like these things usually do but it only gets worse from here." he sighed.  
The man remained quiet while he finished stitching her wounds, when he was done he turned to put his things away while she dressed again. When he came back to her she offered him some gold she had kept in her cloak, he shook his head waving the septims off.  
"I don't want your money." he scoffed. "I'd rather you owe me a favor, your kind respects that more."  
"My kind?"  
He smiled knowingly at her and she chuckled shaking her head.  
"It's going to get bad here before it gets better." she said looking to the small bed in the corner where his little girl slept. "You should get her out of here."  
"And go where?" he snorted "No, we're as safe here as anywhere. It's the only decent thing about this town."  
"Then can I ask one more thing of you?" Rhiannon asked softly.  
Falion looked at her with narrowed eyes "What is it?"

With promises made between the two Rhiannon left the little house and made her way to Alva's home.  
She wanted to try getting into the basement while she still had the cover of night even though she must admit she was worried about the vampires in town being awake. If her suspicions of Alva were all true then the woman may be in for a larger fight then she wanted.  
Falion had warned her to watch out for Alva's thrall, the father of the little ghost girl she had met earlier in the night. He had moved in with the woman the same day his house burned down, a lot of people suspected him of starting the fire because of it. The figured he just wanted to be with a pretty young woman like Alva instead of his wife. No one suspeced that she had used thrall magic to get to him.  
When Rhiannon got to the door she tried to the knob first and frowned when she realized the house was unlocked. She pushed the door open and the interior of the house was dark and cold, there was no fire burning in the fireplace to chase away the chill. She stepped into house pulling the door closed behind her. She stood still in the pitch darkness and she felt the chill start to sink into her bones.  
Once her eyes were adjusted to the dark she saw that directly across from her was a set of stairs leading down, she looked around the room as she slowly started to move that way. She took a step and could feel the change in the floor under her boots, she had stepped in something wet. Something thick and sticky.  
Rhiannon frowned and knew that it was probably blood, knowing her target. But she also knew that meant there was probably a fresh body in the house.  
She continued walking towards the stairs and looked down to see a door at the bottom of the steps with a glow coming out from under the door. She saw a shadow pass by the light and knew that someone must be down there still. She held her dagger tightly in hand and then started down the steps.  
She moved carefully putting as little pressure on each step as she went to avoid on creaking on her giving away her position. She knew that if she was facing off with a vampire then they had better senses then a normal human. When she reached the door she placed her hand lightly on the handle taking a deep calming breath before she pushed the door open. She shoved the door hard causing it to collide with the wall, hoping to surprise anyone in the room.  
A woman in a tight fitting revealing outfit whirled around to face her, her lips pulling back in a hiss. Sharp fangs pointed out of her mouth as she lifted her hand a red glow coming from her palm. The woman was no doubt Alva and as she charged Rhiannon, she realized that though the woman was an older vampire she was weaker then the other.  
Rhiannon easily kept out of reach of her red glowing palm, she recognized it as a drain life spell. If it touched her she would slowly start the dying process, if she survived it there was a chance she would turn into a vampire.  
She kept moving herself around the room with her dagger at the ready for when she would see an opening in the woman's defenses. Alva gave her that chance when she over reached with her clawed hand in an attempt to tear into Rhiannon. Once she had made that misstep Rhiannon ducked under her off balanced attack and moved to where she stood behind the stumbling woman.  
With one hand she grabbed a handful of her hair yanking it backwards bringing her chin up and with the other hand she slashed her dagger across her throat blooding spurting from the wound.  
Rhiannon released her letting the body fall into a heap at her feet.  
Alva was dead.  
With a deep breath Rhiannon turned her attention to the dimly lit room she stood in. The room was clearly where Alva spent her time when she was resting judging from the coffin laying open in the center of the floor. There was a table towards the back of the room with nightshade resting on it's surface bundled together. When Rhiannon stepped closer to the coffin to inspect it she saw a red leather bound book laying in the center of the coffin.  
Picking it up she opened the book to find it was Alva's journal. Reading through it she discovered how the woman had become a vampire, how there was a den in a cave system nearby, and the plans that the master had for the town. She flipped through page after page her face no doubt pinched in concern.  
She was so engrossed in the book she didn't hear the steps behind her until it was to late. She whirled around as a fist connected with her jaw knocking her backwards. She tried to regain her footing but this time another blow this one from a second attacker to her side sent her to the floor.  
She struggled to get back up, pushing up on shaky arms. Her vision went black as she collapsed back onto the floor.  
Sleep.... Rest..... a voice hissed around her.

Cicero had just gotten back into the city of Falkreath after another of his contracts, he had to admit he was feeling better then he had in ages. The madness was kept at bay by the murders he commited and he was greatful for the peace in his own mind now. He began to think of himself as two very different people now.  
There was Cicero, the assasin that was very good at what he did and was very sane while doing it. He had a clear mind and didn't feel the need to do all of the crazy things he had done before. He wasn't driven by that soft cackling voice to commit murders like the other was, he was capable of making intelligent choices with his life now. He was able to prepare himself to escape Astrid's clutches before long.  
The other him. The ... Madman was a very different person indeed. He had the mind of a killer but the base skill of your common murderer. Wanting to kill for the pleasure of the death and the blood then for the actual contract. When he was in control and he killed someone it eased him back to Cicero but his voice still echoed that same laugh. He didn't want to leave the Falkreath Sanctuary, he wanted to stay so he could kill the pretenders.  
He wanted to skin Arnbjorn, to rip the scales from that lizard, to burn Babette, and oh how the list went on. He wanted them dead but he also wanted them to suffer. For the Night Mother.  
Cicero shook his head casting the thoughts away yet again. He had much to do today before he could make his plans for his next move with the Night Mother.  
First of all he had to check the inn for his letters, he hadn't been there in a few days and he was expecting an update from Rhiannon on her mission. He stepped into the inn and walked over to the innkeeper with a friendly smile.  
"Good evening." Cicero greeted. "I was hoping you'd have some letters for me?"  
"Cicero?"  
"That I am." he said nodding.  
The man handed him a small bundle of letters, at least three of them. He hesitated for a moment with something in his hand.  
"What is it?" Cicero demanded.  
"We don't want in trouble here..." the innkeeper said slowly.  
"What do you mean?" Cicero demanded and when he wouldn't say anything he grabbed his collar jerking him forward. "If you don't speak I will tear your tongue from your mouth with my bare hands!"  
"Another letter for you!" he yelled. "It came from ...a creature...or person I don't know! Handed me this black scroll said it was for you."  
"Give it to me. Now." Cicero said.  
The man placed a black scroll into his hands and he released his collar walking out of the inn. He didn't know what to expect or how Rhiannon had managed to get him this dark letter. He knew whateve she had done must have been important if she resorted to something so extreme to get him the message.  
He unrolled the scroll and saw the blood red ink on the paper.  
'Cicero,  
'If you are recieving this Morthal is not as safe as it seems. I have had a run in with vampires, deals have been struck and I face the creatures tonight. If I should turn or be killed then you will recieve another similiar letter to this one.  
'I have left Aventus is the care of a ... man named Falion. He can be trusted with the boy. Hopefully you will get good news from me soon. If not then I wish you well.  
'Your wife Rhiannon'  
He frowned closing the black scroll with a frown, whatever was happening in Morthal was serious and he needed to head north. He couldn't leave the Night Mother behind if he was making the trip he did not plan to return to this cursed place. He was preparing to set off when the scrol in his hand started to burn at the edges, he tossed it to the ground watching as the paper burnt. It was gone in seconds as if it had not been there.  
Cicero started back for the Sanctuary, he had little time to waste.

Astrid watched as the jester walked quickly by everyone making his way to his room. She knew when he entered the room because there was a pained cry and the clashing of steel.  
She and Arnbjorn had agreed it was time. Time to be rid of the madman and his accursed Night Mother, she hadn't been able to bring herself to burn the corpse just yet. She was sure that once Cicero was dead then she would be able to do it but right now she didn't want to be near that corpse.  
Those starring black sockets always watching. She could feel them in the shadows around her, felt the very shadows around her pressing in more each night. She could no longer sleep in a darkened room, the candles always burned. She felt as if that corpse were in the room with her when the lights were out that if she opened her eyes there would be those empty sockets starring back.  
When she slept at night tin the dark the air seemed to press in on her making it almost impossible to move. She couldn't move and she wanted to scream though she had no voice to do so.  
When the sound of the fight faded suddenly she heard the crashing of the second wooden door as the figure in the jester armor charged down the back stairs. He dashed from his room clutching a bleeding wound and running for the door, his face was twisted in pain.  
Astrid stepped from the doorway directly into his path bringing the man up short, he stared up at her as the rest of the Brotherhood gathered around.  
"What have you done?" he demanded.  
"What have I done?" she laughed smiling slowly. "What have you done? I know you plot against us, we have seen your companion and know about the letters. You plan to kill us all."  
Cicero fell silent and gritted his teeth "Damned innkeeper."  
"Easily bought." Astrid said starting to slowly descend the stairs.  
For every step she took Cicero back up with the surrounding Brotherhood stepping back keeping his circled. She knew she could trust them, these were her family they would always fight for each other. Cicero and the Night Mother had no place there.  
There was a sudden howling sound that tore through the sanctuary followed by the stained glass window shattering. Astrid saw fire in the window and her eyes widened in shock, Arnbjorn was burning the Night Mother.  
For a moment she worried the howling had been Arnbjorn in pain from the fire, maybe the corpse had power to throw it back at him she didn't know what it could do. She was relieved when she saw the large solid black werewolf stalk from the stairs, there was a long wound on his chest with skin flapping loosely from where Cicero had defended himself no doubt. She saw her husband's jaws open in a deep freightening growl, sharp teeth glinting in the light.  
"Lay down your arms and surrender to Sithis' justice." Astrid said coldly.  
Cicero pulled his eyes away from the burning room and looked back to Astrid his eyes wide. She saw him take one hand slowly removing his gloves and tossing them to the ground. In one of his hands he pulled a thin Imperial sword from his hip and the other he held palm out towards her.  
A small black hand tattoo was in the center of his palm, as she watched the ink went from black to a glowing blue color.  
"Lucien." Cicero hissed.  
Chaos erupted in the Sanctuary then and Astrid realized her mistake.


	4. Disaster

Cicero stooped at the foot of the coffin quickly with the small urn he had been able to find, there was the sound of fighting still in the halls of the Sanctuary. Ignoring it for the moment he began to use his hands to scoop the ashes and the small fragments of bone into the urn. He moved quickly getting as much of the ashes into the urn as possible but he wasn't able to get all of it into the urn and turned away from a handful of the Night Mother's ashes.  
When Cicero exited the room, dropping the urn into his bag, he saw that the spirit of Lucien LaChance had faught back the beast man. The werewolf let out a snarl swipping at the spirit when his eyes fell on Cicero exiting the room. He let out a loud roar of anger turning towards the man. He was cut off by the spirit and Cicero knew he had to make his retreat.  
He darted down the stairs passing members of the Brotherhood that had been involved in the little fight, most of them were wounded and stayed out of his way. The old man and the elf were both weakened, sitting in the pool of water where they had landed in the fight. Astrid laid bleeding on the stairs unable to move herself from where she had fallen. The lizard had died in the battle and was laying in a pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs, he had died protecting Astrid.  
Babette and Nazir had refused to fight with their brethren when the spirit of Lucien had been summoned. He had spoke to them, Sithis didn't want the lower ranks of the Dark Brotherhood to fight but he wanted Astrid gone.  
When Cicero got to the stairs he started climbing the stairs and only stopped when a weak hand grabbed at his ankles.  
"You can't do this." she hissed. "I will find you -.... you will ..... die."  
"Only if you don't bleed out on these stairs." he sighed looking down at her.  
Astrid's eyes cut to the foot of the stairs and her lip curled back in anger "Traitors."  
Cicero looked down to the see the child vampire and the redguard warrior standing there watching them. He frowned slightly until they started to follow him up the stairs and then he turned to face them.  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
"We can't stay here." Babette said "You have Sithis' own plans in mind, we go with you."  
Cicero nodded and turned pulling himself loose from the weak grip of Astrid moving for the door. He knew they followed behind him quickly and as they reached the black door he heard a loud howl.  
The three shared a glance before darting out of the door and kept running along the path, they headed towards the city of Falkreath. They could hear the muffled sounds of Arnbjorn trying to get out of the Black Door in his wolf form, his thicker form no doubt causing him trouble in his pursuit of them. They got far enough away from the Sanctuary door that they couldn't hear any more of what might be behind them.  
They didn't stop to question what might or might not be following them.  
"Where are we going?" Nazir called as they reached the city stopping to take a breather briefly.  
"Morthal." Cicero panted. "I have ... friends there."  
The two exchanged a curious look, he mostly ignored the look.  
"I have to get there quickly." Cicero said softly. "I have the Night Mother's ashes, these can not fall into the wrong hands."  
"Why what's so special about the ashes?" Babette asked.  
Cicero looked down at the bag he carried and frowned "If we don't have a Night Mother than our Brotherhood will fall, with the ashes we can make a new one through a little bit of spell work."  
Babette and Nazir seemed a bit worried after this news though they didn't say anything.  
Cicero turned walking back down the street towards the opposite end of the city and the two followed him. They were almost to the second gate when a scream went up from a woman at the other gate. The three turned looking back to see guards and armed men of the city running towards a large werewolf.  
Arnbjorn was mostly unhindered by the approaching guards as he moved forward on all fours swipping any who got in hs way to the side, wounding but not killing most of the people. His eyes remained locked on the three assasins and his jaws were open dripping blood, there was no way for them to tell if it was his own blood.  
Nazir pulled his curved sword from his back and Babette pulled an iron dagger from her hip, both taking a step forward.  
"You get out of here." Nazir said glancing back at Cicero.  
"Yes we'll take care of Arnbjorn." Babette said smiling.  
Cicero nodded before he turned to continue running along the road.  
He knew he was wounded himself but adrenaline kept him from feeling to many of the ill effects of the wound. He didn't realize he was leaving a small trail of blood behind him, mostly a few drops here and there. Enough that he could be tracked by the werewolf if he survived the battle with the other two Brotherhood members.

It was hard pulling herself back from the edge of darkness that Rhiannon had found herself in. She opened her eyes to find herself facing iron bars and as she slowly sat up she realized she was locked in a cell. The cell wasn't the only cell she could see though they all appeared to be empty.  
Rhiannon slowly stood up and her head began to hurt, she swayed on her feet stepping forward to hold onto one of the bars for support. She put one of her hands up to touch the back of her head and it came away sticky with almost dried blood. She frowned and tried to remember what had happened.  
She had been working for the jarl to find out what had really happened at a burned down house which had lead her to Alva's house.... where she found out that Alva was..... Rhiannon couldn't remember what had happened. She had gotten into the house and found that there was a dead body inside. She had gone to the basement and she found Alva in the basement with .....  
Again as Rhiannon tried to remember her head was full of pain, to the point it turned her stomach. She leaned over vomiting what little she had in her stomach onto the stone floor.  
"Disgusting." a voice called.  
She waited until she didn't feel like she was going to throw up anymore before she looked up at the voice. The man was standing at a wooden door that she could see stairs behind him through the opening. She frowned as she realized she recognized him.  
"You're the Jarl's housecarl." she said standing up straight.  
He simply smiled.  
She realized that this was the first time she had really gotten a look at him and she could see that his eyes had an almost unsettling glow to them.  
"You're one of the vampires that are in the city." she said frowning.  
"I should have known you'd be trouble when you walked into the longhouse." he said shaking his head. "You were close to exposing everything, damned Alva shouldn't have been keeping that journal. Well you took of her for us, you have skills. Shame that those will go to waste now."  
"Oh?"  
"I'd make you one of us but I worry your will won't be so easily changed like Alva." he said stepping forward.  
She frowned stiffening, stepping back away from the bars. They looked at each other closely and he gave her a toothy grin.  
"It won't matter soon." he sighed "Night will fall soon and the coven will take the town."  
"So I suppose you and the guards are all vampires then?"  
"Not all of them but as far as the guards are concerned your a Dark Brotherhood murderer and under arrest awaiting trial for two deaths." he said smiling before turning away from her. "Of course you and everyone else in this town won't see the dawn."  
Rhiannon watched him walk away, he paused at the door looking back at her tilting his head. He smiled again and then turned walking up the stairs pulling the door closed behind him.  
When he was gone Rhiannon turned to look at the lock on the cell, she checked her pockets for anything left by the guards. She realized that they hadn't left anything on her, even in the secret pockets she had in her clothing. Rhiannon frowned slapping her hand lightly over the bars. She didn't have any lockpicks or small weapons left on her, it limited her ways out putting her at serious risk from the coming attack.  
Then she remembered that Aventus was in the city as well, though she knew that he was in good hands. She had asked Falion to get a message to Cicero in Falkreath and had asked for him to keep watch over Aventus until one of them came for him. He had agreed asking that they owe him a favor that he could call in when he needed it. Rhiannon sighed they were starting to incur quite a debt to the man.  
Rhiannon put everything out of her mind and started to walk around the cell trying to find some way out of her capture. She noted that the bars were looking a bit rusted and old, though when she laid hands on them they were sturdy enough. She pushed and pulled against the bars which did almost nothing to the cell.  
With a sigh she turned away from the bars and started looking over the walls again though she saw nothing of note. Rhiannon started to feel dizzy again from the activity and slowly sank down onto the bedroll she had woke up on. She leaned back against the wall staring out into the rest of the jail, she feared that she wouldn't be able to get loose.  
As she sat there in the cell she began to whisper to herself. She traced a small pattern onto the floor and when she had finished she took her hand placing it back against the sticky blood covering the back of her head. After that she put her hand to the center of the pattern leaving a small sticky blood outline. The pattern glowed faintly before it vanished -blood and all- in a wisp of foul smelling smoke.  
Rhiannon leaned back against the stone feeling tired, she would just rest her eyes a moment.

Cicero wasn't certain he was being followed but he had the prickling feeling on his neck that he was being watched. Then again he suspected the blood loss wasn't helping him any, he had run out of energy a ways back and had found that he had been wounded worse then he had thought.  
He'd taken a set of claws from Arnbjorn to the side causing him a great deal of pain and the open bleeing wounds. He had tied bandages over his wounds the best that he could and that had helped for a bit. Now they had been soaked through and he was finding it hard to keep going. He was close to collapse, the only thing keeping him going was the fact that he knew if he fell then he would die here.  
The woods were full of wild animals and bandits even on the main roads. To collapse here would be certain death.  
Cicero kept moving at a stumbling walk along the road, folloing the road signs that pointed him towards the city of Helgan. The city had a number of Imperial troops moving into the fort lately and then there were the Stormcloak prisoners that they were bringing in. He'd heard that the worst among the prisoners had there heads put on spikes outside the city for all to view and he had to admit the last time he passed the city it looked quite impressive.  
He hoped that since he was a fellow Imperial that maybe they would be willing to let him stay and avial the use of a healer. It was a mostly Imperial settlement and they would no doubt be a bit more welcoming of him.  
As Cicero walked along he heard a sound behind him that made he turn as quickly as he could. He held his sword up his eyes flicking around the area.  
Then he saw the source of the noise.  
A tall figure in a black cloak was moving along the road towards him, the figure was a almost a foot taller than Cicero and the cloak cast it's face in shadow. Cicero turned to face the man and as he approached him there was a smell coming from the figure that made him gag. It was a smell of sulfur and rotten flesh that seemed to linger in the air.  
When the figure came to a stop in front of him Cicero looked up, unable to see the face still. It was as if instead of a face there was a dark void in the space under the hood.  
"Cicero?" a voice hissed from the hood.  
The voice was both male and female sounding with more then one tone echoing in the voice.  
"That is me." he said cautiously.  
From the folds of the cloak an arm extended from the void underneath, the arm looked burned with skin hanging off of the meat beneath. The places that the skin hung off revealed gray maggot infested muscles beneath. The hand and fingers on the end of the arm were skeletal as if already decayed, clutched in the hand was another black scroll.  
Cicero took the scroll and the figure turned away from him. As he walked away the figure became hard to see as if vanishing before his eyes before there was no one there and no sign that there ever had been.  
The only thing left behind was the scroll. Cicero opened the scroll breaking a red wax seal that had the Oblivion symbol in the wax.  
'Cicero,  
'Things have taken a horrible turn here. Most of the guards themselves and some of the Jarl's court are among the creatures now. They are planning to attack the city at the end of the day as soon as the sun has set.  
'I have been wounded and locked into what appears to be the city jail. I have tried to find a way out but I'm at a loss of what to do now. I send you this letter because it is unclear what will happen to me at this point and I fear the worst if I can not get out of this cell before the attack.  
'Aventus will be with Falion and I hope he is safe.  
'I fear I have failed you and Sithis. I am sorry. I wish you well my friend.  
'Rhiannon'  
Cicero closed the scroll and, just like the other black scroll, he had to drop the item before it burned up. He watched the scroll burn up and he felt himself stumble back away from the spot.  
He turned back down the road he had been facing, he would never make it to Morthal in time to save Rhiannon and he knew that she was still alive. He felt his chest tighten at the thought that right now she was sitting in a cell aware that she would die and he knew she was alive right now. She would be dead in a few short hours and there was nothing he would be able to do. He looked at the slowly darkening sky knowing there was noothing he could do.  
Cicero took a ragged breath. He was soon going to be truly alone.  
The Sanctuary had been burned in Cyrodiil, all of their members murdered, the Night Mother had been reduced to nothing more than ash, and now he was unable to save Rhiannon from her fate.  
Cicero continued stumbling towards the city of Helgan and he knew that he would be there soon, he just wondered what the point would be now. Then he remembered that there was a small chance he could ressurect the Brotherhood, if the boy survived then there wasstill hope for them. It was a small chance and one that may be plucked from his grasp easily at any moment. But it was the only chance.  
He moved with a renewed purpose and reached the gates of the city of Helgan where there were two guards standing watch.  
"You there are you alright?" one yelled to him.  
Cicero lifted one of his hands which he knew was covered in blood, he had been using it to try to stop the flow of blood. One guard moved forward quickly to grab Cicero before he fell to him knees.  
"By the Eight what happened to you?" the guard asked his face twisting in disgust.  
"A beast in the woods." Cicero lied "I need a healer please."  
The guard lifted him pulling one of his arms over his shoulder. Cicero leaned heavily on the man relieved to finally be able to let himself relax a bit.  
"Open the gates!" the second guard yelled "We have a wounded man!"  
The two large wooden gates slowly swung open as men on the other side started to pull the doors from the other side. There were a few men waiting on the other side of the door to accept Cicero as the guard handed him off to the others.  
The people waiting on the inside of the gates half dragged half carried him to a nearby house where they told him their healer lived. They explained that he would be healed and then the captain of the guards here would need to speak with him before he could get back on the road. Cicero felt himself getting a bit weaker and simply nodded his consent as they carried him along, he just needed to be healed.

"There that should do it." Festus said stepping away from Astrid with a nod.  
He had just finished helping close her wounds, with what thread they had in the Sanctuary. He stepped back letting Gabrielle put a salve over the stitches and then they wrapped her in bandages, most of her torso was covered in the bandages now. She had come very close to death and wasn't anywhere near out of the risk of death. She was weak and admittably getting a bit delirious as she laid there.  
"Arnbjorn where is he?" she panted still in pain.  
"He hasn't returned yet." Festus told her. "You should rest Astrid we'll wake you when he returns."  
"Nazir, Babette?"  
"They fled with Cicero."  
Astrid let out a sigh shaking her head slowly looking up at the roof above her bed. She was furious with the two, they had betrayed her and the rest of the family. They had been like family to her and with just a few words from the spirit of the assasin had turned their backs on her.  
"I want them found." she said her voice hoarse. "I want them killed."  
The two listening to her looked at each other and then nodded slowly.  
"We'll put out the word to our connections and try to find them." Gabrielle said nodding. "You just rest Astrid."  
The two backed away from her and she watched as the door was pulled closed behind them. She was left alone in her bedroom with a single candle burning on the nearest table which left the room cast mostly in shadows.  
Astrid felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep, her eyes heavy and body becoming just as heavy. She laid on her back and felt herself drift off to sleep.  
Her dreams were full of chaos and death as she relived the fight with Cicero. The dream was horrible seeming to speed through some parts and then slow to drag along at others like when she had been wounded beyond being able to fight. She also had to watch the others be wounded or in one case killed. It was exhausting and she could feel her body jerking in her sleep as the muscles tensed in her sleep.  
At one point she jerked so hard in her sleep that she woke herself up to find, as she flicked her eyes around, she couldn't move. She tried moving her finger and toes first finding that she was unable to move at all.  
Her heart began to pound in her chest and she felt tears start to form in the corners of her eyes. What was happeneing to her? Had she been betrayed by Festus and Gabrielle? They had been the ones to treat her wounds and put the salve on her wounds, she didn't know what kind of salve it was either. They could have used something to paralyze her, make her an easier target to them if they decided to kill her.  
Had everyone turned their backs on her?  
"They have all betrayed you." a voice hissed from somewhere in the darkness.  
The voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere in the room and the sound seemed to echo in her head as well.  
"All of them seek to do away with you." the voice hissed again.  
Astrid listened to the voice, it sounded old, brittle, and it was a woman's voice. Each word that was said drug out into a hiss that made the voice seem to echo around her. She felt like the owner of the voice was watching her and she knew that meant she could possibly be in danger.  
Astrid also got the impression that the owner of the voice was someone -or something - she had seen before. Her mind drifted to the eyeless sockets that she had felt watching her from the shadows.  
Panic settled into her chest. Arnbjorn had burned the wretched corpse in her coffin and she had been assured by Festus that there was nothing left, only ashes.  
"You must protect yourself." the voice hissed.  
Astrid tried to move her fingers again and she was able to move them again. She pulled her fingers into a fist and then when she relaxed her hand she was able to grab the edge of the bed. Moving slowly she was able to turn onto her side the feeling of someone being in the room with her was gone and as she laid on her side she could see the room was empty. She sat like that for a moment before she got out of the bed.  
She stood on trembling legs and moved towards the door of her room slowly, every step was an effort that she had to force. By the time she got to the top of the stairs she was sweating and barely able to stand on her own. She looked up at where the busted glass from the stain glass window had been, the stone coffin was still in it's place.  
As she watched the window she could swear a shadow passed by almost as if someone was in the room.  
Gritting her teeth she pushed herself to start walking again, she was halfway down the stairs when she stumbled down the steps. She landed at the bottom of the steps on her injured side and she let out a moan, holding her side. She sat up feeling stiff as she pulled back her shirt, she could see blood slowly starting to spread over the bandages. She had pulled her stitches.  
Astrid got onto her knees and then she slowly got to her feet. She held one of her hands over the bleeding wound and started making her way to the back stairs to the room. She wanted to find out who was in the room and the only way she could find out was sneaking up on whoever was there. It occured to her that she was in no condition to fight someone if she found out there was a traitor in the room.  
When she reached the top of the stairs she pushed open the door slowly peeking into the room.  
She saw Festus and Gabrielle looking at the remains left in the room. Festus walked over to the coffin putting a hand to his chin as he looked down at the gray pile of ash.  
"Seems that fool left behind a bit of the Night Mother." Festus said with a frown. "I wonder if it has any alchemy benefits."  
"Perhaps a poison..." Gabrielle said with a sigh.  
"Do you put any stock into what the spirit said about Sithis and Astrid?" Festus asked glancing at the Dark Elf woman.  
"I don't know. I've put my trust in Astrid for years, we never had to worry about the Night Mother or Sithis before."  
Gabrielle leaned down to run her fingers through the ashes sifting for any solid pieces left within the dust. She pulled out a few bones that were left mostly intact and she set them aside.  
Festus handed her a bowl to scrape the ashes into and she began the task.  
"Perhaps this will come in handy later." Gabrielle said with a smile.  
Astrid watched as they carefully transfered the ashes into a bottle that they put away into a bag.  
"Should we tell Astrid that we have this?" Gabrielle asked.  
"No, no. It would just worry her." Festus said.  
Astrid watched as the two exited out of the other door carrying the bottle with the ashes in it. She frowned watching the two walk away.  
She needed to get that bottle from them.

Rhiannon jerked awake shocked. She quickly got to her feet her stomach lurching with the suddne motion as she stumbled over to the bars of the cell.  
Holding the bars for support she strained her ears to listen to anything happening outside of the jail. She couldn't tell, from where she was, if it was dark already or if she still had time to get out. She couldn't hear any sounds of distress or fighting from the streets, so she was sure that the attack hadn't happened yet.  
She knew she would be dead if the fighting had broke out.  
As she was listening for any sounds she heard someone coming down the stairs, there was the sound of a bolt being slid back from the door. She backed away from the cell towards the stone wall and was preparing to fight with her fists when the door swung open. Falion peeked into the room and then hurried in with the two children following close behind.  
"I thought we might find you here." he said frowning.  
"Falion." Rhiannon gasped stepping forward eagerly.  
She put her hands on the bars and she smiled when the children rushed forward.  
"Mother!" Aventus exclaimed rushing forward to the cell. "Is it true that there are vampires? That they're going to kill us all?"  
"Aventus." Rhiannon said relieved. "I won't let any vampires hurt you."  
Falion put his hands on the lock and she watched a red glow start to spread across the lock. He warned the children to look away and get far enough back before there was a loud pop with a flash of light. The cell swung open with the door clinging against the walls, he stepped away from the door letting her out.  
Rhiannon stepped out of the cell and looked at the others.  
"Do you know where they hid my weapons?" she asked.  
"I know they keep prisoners things in some chests upstairs in the barracks." Falion said frowning. "What are you going to do?"  
"I have to get my weapons and get you three out of here." Rhiannon said glancing at the three.  
"You don't need to worry about that I'll take care of the kids." Falion said smirking. "I think the jarl will need you more."  
Rhiannon frowned "Where will you go?"  
"Best not to ask but we will be back after dawn."  
Rhiannon nodded her head in agreement and the group crept up the stairs into the guard barracks. When they got to the barracks there were two charred corpses laying in the open doorway arms outstretched towards the dwelling. She looked out the door and could tell that they were a few minutes away from the sun setting, she didn't have a lot of time left.  
Ignoring the corpses, Rhiannon went to start digging through the chests that were in the barracks. She found a healing potion in one of the chests and promptly drank the potion down, it helped her head start to feel better. She dug through each chest and couldn't find any of her weapons, she didn't find any of her possesions in the chest. She turned to look for anything in the barracks that she could use as a weapon.  
She found a set of iron arrows, a long bow, and an iron shortsword. It wasn't her usual choice of weapons but she grabbed them not wanting to be left unarmed.  
Falion and the two children wished her well before the sorceror ushered them along with him. She watched the three of them make their way out of the city running towards the burned down house and up the hill behind it. She didn't know where they were going and she hoped that they would be safe.  
Taking her new weapons, Rhiannon left the barracks and hurried towards the Jarl's longhouse while a few guards turned to watch her from whatever shade they could find. She didn't miss the slight glow to their eyes as she moved, nor did she miss the fading light of the sun.  
When she pushed into the longhouse she saw the Jarl with her children in the longhouse held by guards and her housecarl. As she moved into the longhouse she had the bow in hand at the ready, she reached back grabbing an arrow pulling it back. She saw the vampires turning in shock eyes wide and she fired the arrow into the guard closest to the Jarl. The guard fell backwards with a shriek grabbing at the arrow.  
The housecarl lifted his hand stopping the guards from surging forward.  
"It seems I underestimated you." he said giving a sharp toothed smile. "Master Movarth could use someone like you at his side."  
Rhiannon frowned readying another arrow pulling the string back. The guards hissed angrily and the housecarl's eyes narrowed his smile briefly falling before it returned to it's place.  
"I could turn you." he said taking a measure step forward. "Your strong, I'd wager you would make a wonderful vampire."  
"No, I think I prefer being human." Rhiannon said.  
"Shame." he said then looked to the guards. "Kill her."  
The guards rushed forward lifting the swords as she released the arrow hitting the first one in the chest. She dropped the bow and pulled the iron sword from it's sheath.  
Outside she could hear the sounds of someone screaming in distress and the sound of fighting.

Cicero awoke to find himself starring at a wooden roof laying in a hard bed.  
He took his hand and touched his wound, he found that the healer had stitched the wounds closed. He felt that there was a salve rubbed over the wounds which would keep them from getting infected.  
He sat up and found he was alone in the small house, his things laying on a chair sitting beside the bed. Cicero got up quickly dressing again in his torn bloody clothes, he would have to find some new clothes. Once he had all of his things he turned walking towards the door and peeked out to see that it looked like it was almost dawn.  
There was a light mist hanging in the air and as he stepped out onto the small wooden porch he looked north to see the sun slowly rising. He heard some people calling out as the gates at the other end of the city opened allowing a few soldiers on horse back to come in ahead of two wagons. Cicero saw that there were prisoners sitting in the backs of the wagons and most of them were in Stormcloak armor.  
There were two that weren't in any kind of armor just ragged clothing and as the wagon passed by the healer's house Cicero frowned. There was one man that was gagged in the back wearing what looked like noble's clothing, he figured that he must be someone important to warrant all this treatment.  
He watched as the wagons rode up to what looked like a waiting group of Imperial soldiers, a priest, and a black hooded headsman. Cicero could see that everyone was focused on them and had left the gates open for the moment, he started towards them.  
As he reached the gate he heard one of the female soldier yell calling for the archers. He turned to see one of the prisoners in ragged clothing running towards the gate and before he had gotten very far the archers had put three arrows into his back. The man fell dead where he ran.  
Cicero gave a hum and started out of the gate without a backwards glance, this didn't have anything to do with him.  
As he went along the road he was glad that he had left the city when he did, he didn't miss the black dragon that flew overhead towards the city. He could see the smoke billowing from the city in thick columns and the screaming. In all his years he had lived Cicero had never seen a real dragon.   
He could feel that this would bring change.

Arnbjorn had tried to fight with his two former guild members but with him already wounded and tired it had brought him down easily. He had limped from the hold with guards chasing him while he knew that the three traitors were escaping him, he knew this would anger Astrid even more that he had failed to catch them.  
She wanted them dead.  
Arnbjorn ran away from the city and once he was sure he was no longer being followed he collapsed behind some bushes to take cover. He felt the change over come him and slowly his wolf features began to fade into his nord self. He fell to his knees with a groan and crawled a few feet until he was at the base of a tree, there he fell onto his side. He laid bleeding and panting on the ground. He was naked and vulnerable to the elements.  
He felt the wounds slowly starting to heal thanks to his beast blood, he could heal just fine once he had reverted to human. He laid there drifting into darkness, falling asleep.  
It was hours later in the middle of the night when he woke up again and he got to his feet. His wounds were all healed and as he got to his feet he debated his next move. He could return to the Sanctuary and face Astrid's anger at his failure. Or he could go after Cicero and finish this. He was sure bringing the jester's head would sooth his wife's anger over the whole incident. There was really no benefit to going back empty handed.  
Arnbjorn turned and started towards the city of Falkreath. He would steal some clothes and then he would start tracking the madman.  
He got to the city and slipped past the guards trying to avoid being seen by anyone, if they saw him in this state then they would know he was the beast. He got to the general store and broke into the store, he found some clothes that he pulled on quickly. Then he found a two handed axe that wasn't in the best condition but it was better than nothing.  
Once he was armed he turned heading towards the part of the city where he had confronted the two traitors.  
He got to the second gate and gave the air a test sniff. He could smell where his own blood had been spilled in the fight earlier that day but he couldn't smell any lingering scent of his opponents. As he walked around he did catch a lighter scent on the air, he bent down to sniff the air more and the scent was stronger. He looked around and then he spotted a few drops of dried blood, it had to be from earlier.  
He took a deeper sniff and decided it had to be the madman. Cicero. He was sure he had smelled it when they had faught back in the Sanctuary.  
Smiling Arnbjorn started on the cobbled road towards the city of Helgan. He would be able to find him and bring an end to the madman. He wondered how long it would take him to find the jester, once he was well rested he knew he would change and be able to overtake the man.


	5. Two Massacres

Rhiannon ducked under the blade of the first guard and then came up with her own sword slashing the his stomach open. The guard let out a cry and fell grabbing at his guts trying to keep them from spilling. She straightened and stepped to the side as the next of them moved forward jabbing a sword at her face.  
Rhiannon moved out of the way of the sword and stepped over the body of the guard circling around the room quickly. He ducked low to the ground as she swung her blade at him and then another of them moved forward. She kept backing away from the attackers circling around the room, her eyes going to the back of the throne room where the jarl and her children were being held. The houscarl never left his place beside them his face an emotionless mask.  
When she gained an opening she ducked under a swing of the blade moving forward ramming her shoulder into the man's stomach, knocking the air out of him. He stumbled back as a second guard moved forward pushing him to the side trying to take his place.  
Rhiannon stepped away from the men letting them over reach and once they had thrown themselves off balance she slashed her sword towards them. She took one of the guard's hand off above his wrist and the man let out a shriek dropping his sheild to grip at the stump. Rhiannon took the opportunity to step forward and slice the tip of her sword across the man's face cutting through his cheeks.  
The man fell away from her and she stepped to the side as the remainder of the guards came after her.  
Rhiannon stepped forward meeting them head on and then cut through the remainder of the men.  
By the end of the small battle in the Jarl's longhouse the floor was covered in blood, gore dripped off of her sword, and she was breathing heavily starring at the housecarl who was still standing. They faced each other with a narrowed look passing between the two.  
"I guess we underestimated you." he said frowning.  
"It happens a lot." she said with a smirk.  
"I suppose that's how you got to be in the Brotherhood then?"  
Rhiannon smiled "Family tradition, you could say."  
The man scoffed and started walking towards her. His eyes gave off a slight glow and she noticed his hands started to glow red, his nails lengthening. He smiled his fangs glinting in the torch light as he walked towards her. She frowned knowing that he was going to be one of the stronger vampires. If he was that much more powerful than the rest of the vampires he had in his charge then he had to be quite a few years older.  
"You could say my family's tradition was a bit different." he said smirking lips pulling back to reveal to many sharp teeth.  
Rhiannon stepped forward slinging her sword to get some of the gore off of the blade. They got to the center of the longhouse and began to slowly circle each other eyes locked on one another.  
"You would have been something." he sighed tilting his head.  
"I am something." Rhiannon said giving him a wicked grin.  
The housecarl lunged forward swipping with his long claws at her throat. She brought the sword up catching the man's blow and pushing him back away from her. He lifted his hand trying to catch her with his glowing red hand, when he opened his hand towards her she saw a red aura pulling away from her body. When the first of the aura pulled away from her body in a rough jerk it caused her to catch her breath.  
She recognized the drain life spell, it was a rare spell mostly known for it's use among vampires or necromancers. She knew that the spell had a small distance for which it would work and she stumbled away from the man.  
The aura snapped as the spell was broken by the distance between them and she felt a bit better. She angled her body towards him and lifted the sword at the ready again for the next attack. He didn't look all that worried as he eyed her, his eyes had a more vibrant glow to them now. She figured it had to do with him stealing a small part of her life force giving him a slight boost in his own life force.  
Rhiannon frowned a bit stepping back away from the man as he walked towards her. She kept moving backwards away from him as he came towards her, one of his hands pulled back.  
She watched as he lunged forward hand striking out - not to try slicing into her- to grab her throat with his claws. His mouth opened wide as if his jaw was unhinged and his tongue slipped from his mouth, longer then it should have been. The tongue flicked like a whip at her as she dove to the side from the grasping hand he extended.  
She rolled across the floor coming up into a crouch with her sword used to deflect the whipping tongue shooting across the air at her. The tongue locked around the blade of the sword, blood starting to drip down the sword, and then it jerked from her hand clattering to the ground on the otherside of the room from her. She stayed low in her crouch as the vampires tongue pulled back to it's mouth and it's jaws realigned with the rest of it's face.  
She watched as the man gave her a cruel smirk and he turned towards her.  
"Nothing left to do brotherhood but die."  
Rhiannon looked towards the bodies laying closer to the door, they were closer than her iron sword across the room. She knew they had weapons on their bodies, and she turned to look at them before her eyes darted to the man. His eyes went to the corpses and then slowly dragged back to her as he gave her a smug smile. He showed sharp teeth and ran his tongue over the teeth slowly.  
"Go ahead." he said "Try it."  
Rhiannon waited for the housecarl to make his move and she lunged away from his barely escaping his reaching claws. She rolled across the ground and started digging around, her hands running over the corpses trying to find any of their weapons. A hand clasped her shoulder and she was flung backwards into the middle of the room onto her back.  
It knocked her breath away as she hit the floor and she couldn't get herself turned over as she gasped for air. The vampire was over her in seconds bending down his hand gripping her throat putting pressure on her throat, cutting off her airway to where she couldn't even gasp for air. She put her hand on the man's wrist trying to push his hand away, when that didn't work she reached up trying to gouge into his eyes.  
He leaned his head back jaw opening again, he let out a snarl as his mouth widened again.  
Rhiannon's chest was burning and the corners of her vision started to blur. Everything got dark for her vision and as her lungs burned, her heart gave desperate thumps trying to cling to life.

Arnbjorn stepped into the decimated city and looked over the carnage that had been left behind. The smoking buildings that were shells of their former selves, the charred bodies laying on the ground, and the bodies of the bandits he had killed. It never took their kind long to set up in anywhere that had been abandoned by the military factions in Tamriel.  
He couldn't smell anything other than smoke that was in the air. He couldn't smell Cicero anymore and as he walked along the street towards the other remaining gate, he sniffed around. Nothing of the jester. There were to many scents on the air.  
It didn't make any sense there wasn't the overwhelming smell of an army that had been through, they would have left behind a strong smell. The only thing he could smell was the smoke, the burnt flesh, and the fresh blood.  
He got to the other gate and stopped testing the air, he sniffed the air slowly. Still nothing, too much was on the wind to get a clear scent. He let out a snarl turning around his eyes darting around the area, he had no way of finding him by scent. He had no other way of tracking the man wherever he was going.  
He had no choice but to turn back.

Rhiannon's hands fell limp to the side as she felt herself slipping away, heart slowing to a stop in his chest.  
Suddenly his hand was gone and she gasped in a breath, everything was painful as she finally got her breath back. She began to cough as she rolled onto her side the coughs shaking her body as she rolled over. She looked behind her to find a nord man with an iron battle axe swinging at the housecarl backing him away from her.  
She got up slowly to her knees and crawled over to the bodies grabbing the longbow again. She dug around for more of her arrows from among the dead and when she found one she turned to face the two fighting.  
The vampire had been thrown off by the sudden attack but now he had regained his senses, he was on the offensive. He approached the nord man backing him down throwing him off balance to where he was taking wounds. There were long red gashes in the man's exposed arms and then there was a quick slice to his cheek which threw him backwards. The vampire hissed angrily stepping towards the downed nord man.  
"Leech!" Rhiannon called her voice hoarse.  
The vampire froze and looked towards her as she screamed at him. She had the bow already drawn back ready to fire, when he turned to look at her she released the arrow connecting with his chest throwing him back a few steps. The arrow was lodged in his chest and he reached up to grab it trying to pull it free.  
Before he could get the arrow out the man with the axe was back on his feet swinging the weapon at the man's face. The axe connected with his face digging half way into the man's skull, it took out one of his eyes and ripped his nose from his face to it by a small flap of skin. The vampire stumbled backwards the glow fading from his eyes and then he fell onto his back not moving anymore, a pool of blood spreading beneath the body.  
The nord man turned to look at Rhiannon.  
"You alright?" he called.  
Rhiannon nodded her head and got to her feet. She got to her feet and made her way over to the tied up court members, releasing them from their binds.  
"Benor." the nord man said walking over.  
"Rhiannon." she replied nodding to him. "How bad is it outside?"  
"We've about got the vampires wiped out, a group went after their leader." Benor said nodding.  
"How long till dawn?" the jarl asked stepping forward.  
"Still some time yet."

Rhiannon and the remainder of the city spent the whole night wiping out the rest of the vampires that had tried to take over the city. Once they had completed that task they sent word to Solitude with a courier about the attack and the need for more aid, the citizens would hold the city until they got help.  
Once they had finished killing all of the vampires and the leader's head had been delivered on a pike the city sat together to watch the sunrise. Rhiannon sat on the stone of the city bridge to watch the lights come up, while she was there the Jarl joined her with a paper in her hand.  
"I believe you have more then earned you're property." she said handing the deed over to her. "We owe you a debt."  
"I didn't want to be killed by the vampires anymore than you did." Rhiannon said nodding. "Thank you."  
The jarl nodded to her and then turned to make her way back towards the longhouse. Rhiannon looked up at the slowly rising sun and sighed. She was exhausted beyond belief and just wanted to rest. Her throat was pretty sore as well and she was sure that she had bruises around her neck.  
"Mother!"  
She looked towards the town to see Aventus running through the crowd towards her. She stood up straight opening her arms to the boy as he launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around her.  
"I'm alright. Everythings alright." she promised him stroking her hand over his hair.  
Aventus looked up at her with a smile "What happens now?"  
"We start building our home." she told him.  
They nodded and turned to go back into the city, making their way towards the inn.

Arnbjorn made his way back into the sanctuary going down the stairs mulling over to himself about how to break the news to Astrid that he had failed. He came to the bottom of the first flight of stairs and looked into their bedroom for his wife, he didn't see her in the room. He saw a bit of blood on the blankets in the room and he remembered that Astrid had been wounded, though he had been sure she would pull through.  
He went towards the main chamber of the sanctuary and stepped into the room, it was also empty.  
Frowning, he made his way towards the dining hall of the sanctuary. He paused to pull his weapon from his back, he could smell the tang of old blood in the air and then there was the sharp smell of fresh blood. Lots of fresh blood.  
He crept into the room and froze in shock, pinned to the table by multiple knives was Festus. He had daggers pressed into both of his wrists, his ankles, one pressed into his throat, and one in his gut. Blood was dripping off of the table onto the floor, a pool of blood already formed there.  
Arnbjorn turned away from the scene and made his way back towards the living quarters, he didn't see anyone or anymore bodies in the quarters. He made his way to the room that the madman had been using, when he got there he found Gabrielle.  
She was laying on her stomach in a growing puddle of blood with a drag trail behind her where she had fallen in the room and tried to get away. He leaned down to press his hand to her neck and he couldn't find a pulse, her body was barely warm. She had been dead for awhile.  
He sniffed the air and he caught a familiar scent, Astrid. He stood up and started towards the stairs, if she was there she might need his help. She could be wounded or dead already. He stepped towards the back stairs expecting the scent to follow that way but he paused. The scent didn't leave the room, it hung heavy in the air around him.  
Arnbjorn stepped back into the center of the room looking around, he didn't see anything until he turned to the raised area. The stone coffin was still there and it had been closed. He didn't see any blood on the ground around the coffin but his heart sank at the thought that his wife's corpse had been stuffed inside there. He slung his axe onto his back and walked over touching the cold stone, he didn't want to open it.  
Arnbjorn swung the coffin open, opening his arms to catch his wife's body but that didn't work out. It wasn't Astrid's body that fell out of the coffin, instead it was her very much alive and shrieking like a mad woman. She lunged forward a jagged bloody rusted blade in her hand that she jabbed at him viciously. The blade dug into his chest repeatedly and he stumbled back thrown off by the sudden attack.  
Astrid how could she? His own wife.....


	6. Two Mothers

Cicero arrived in Morthal and kept his eyes darting around searching for any sign of the vampires that were supposed to have taken over the city. He didn't see any of them and as he moved along the road he could see people turning to stare at him, no one came towards him though.  
He worried that these people might be thralls under vampire control, if they had taken over the city they would need an endless food supply and someone to watch over them while they slept. Cicero wished he had been able to meet up with the two from the Falkreath sanctuary but then again he didn't know if they were even alive anymore. He kept his hands on the jar in his bag with the ashes of the Night Mother in it.  
He walked to the Inn and stepped up onto the little wooden porch, then he looked around again before entering the building.  
Cicero went into the inn and walked over to the innkeeper where they knew they'd be able to get a room. He paused halfway there wondering why he was thinking in plural and then he frowned, he had been starting to catch himself talking that way again. He was refering to himself in conversation as Cicero again, the third person. He hadn't killed anyone in awhile and he had noticed earlier that killing someone helped ease his madness if only for a short time.  
"How can I help you sir?" the innkeeper asked.  
"Cicero is- I am looking for Falion." he said sighing.  
"Oh yeah the wizard." the man sighed. "He's out walking the swamps I believe, he tends to do that."  
Cicero frowned "Is there a boy with him? Aventus?"  
"Boy... the only boy I've seen that I don't know is with that woman."  
"What woman?"  
Cicero waited hopefully, maybe she was alive after all. If she was still alive then the Dark Brotherhood wasn't finished after all, he could rebuild them and they'd be the best once again. Cicero wouldn't be alone anymore.  
"Rhiannon I believe."  
Cicero smiled and let out a relieved sigh "Where is she now?"  
The door to the inn closed loudly and Cicero turned to see Rhiannon striding into the room with the boy close on her heels. They both stopped in their tracks as they saw the man and the boy looked up at the woman in fear stepping closer to her. Rhiannon stepped forward quickly throwing her arms around Cicero as he opened his arms to her quickly. They embraced together and Cicero looked beyond her at the boy.  
"Come here Aventus, give your father a hug." Rhiannon called loudly to the boy.  
Aventus stepped forward slowly and then he accepted a hug from the Imperial man.

Astrid looked down at the blood over her hands and she dropped the dagger from her hand. When had she picked up the blade? Where did the blood come from?  
She stumbled back sitting down on the floor and looked up around the room, the blood was all over the floor. She could see the drag marks on the floor where, whoever had been stabbed had been drug from the room. She didn't know if she wanted to know who was on the other end of that drag mark, she had her own fears as to what she would see. Astrid stood up slolwy and started towards the door.  
"The bottle," the voice hissed. "Do you have the bottle?"  
Astrid paused listening to the raspy old voice and reached to her belt where she had tied the bottle. It was still there, the bottle of the Night Mother's ashes tied to her belt. Astrid ran her hand over the smooth surface of the bottle and then nodded slowly.  
"I have it." she said out loud to the empty room.  
"Take the ashes," the voice hissed. "Add them to water and drink."  
"What will happen if I do?"  
The voice was silent for a moment to the point where she thought there would be no reply.  
"What will happen if you don't?"  
Astrid remained quiet her eyes going over to the door, she frowned slightly wanting to go check out the blood. She didn't hear any sound of someone else speaking and the longer she thought about this the more she realized she didn't want to know the truth. Astrid turned for the second set of stairs and made her way down to the pool of water that was in the main chamber of the sanctuary.  
She got on her knees and took the bottle off of her belt opening the cork. Carefully she dipped the lip of the bottle into the water letting it fill to the mouth before she put the cork back in shaking the bottle. She gave the bottle a few good shakes to mix the contents before removing the cork again.  
The contents were thick and gray, she was sure she could see some small solid pieces in the liquid. With a frown she put the bottle to her lips and tipped it back. She tried not to focus on the taste or how thick it felt as she swallowed it.  
When she had drained the bottle she tossed it aside letting the bottle break against the stone.  
She slowly sank down to a sitting position by the water and she felt herself starting to get dizzy, she didn't know what was happening. Her stomach lurched and she couldn't get a good breath, what had been wrong with those ashes? Astrid tried to get to her feet and she collapsed onto her knees trying to crawl for the stairs. If she could get outside she would feel better, the fresh air would make it a bit easier to breath.  
She felt this pounding in her head and as she got to the bottom of the stairs she could hear whispers all around her. Hundreds of voices all speaking at the same time, impossible to pick out one voice. All of them - male, female, young, old- were whispering to her.  
Astrid's head began to throb and she had to stop, putting her hand over her ears in a desperate attempt to drown out the voices. She curled onto her side putting her hand over her ears, the voice just steadily got louder. The more she tried to drown them out, the louder the voices got. To the point she could feel the voices in her skull.  
Astrid let out a scream as everything started to go black.

Rhiannon had been quick to let Cicero in on everything that had been going on in the city since they had gotten there. She told him about the vampire attacks and how they had construction started on the Morthal house.  
He asked her if she had seen any of the others from the sanctuary but she admitted she didn't really know any of them like he did. He asked about a young female child and a Redguard man, if they had been in the area. She told him that the vampires hadn't really let anyone in or out of the town, so far people were avoiding coming to Morthal until they were sure it was safe.  
Rhiannon could see that Cicero was struggling with something when he looked at her and she questioned him about what he was hiding.  
"The Night Mother," he said quietly. "Astrid burned her."  
Rhiannon's eyes widened and she looked away her hand going to her face.  
"No. That can't be.... without the Night Mother, we're -" she began.  
"Without the Night Mother we're lost." Cicero said softly.  
"Why would they have sent us after the Listener if we were only going to lose the Night Mother herself?"  
Cicero reached down and placed a bottle on the table that was between them. He looked up at her and gestured to the bottle with a sigh.  
"This is her ashes." he said frowning.  
Rhiannon took the bottle in her hands and sighed before she rubbed her eyes with one hand.  
"What do we do now?"  
"I don't know." Cicero said "We need the Night Mother. There are ways but they aren't easy."  
"What ways?" Rhiannon asked.  
"A spell, a way to create a new Night Mother."  
"Is that possible?"  
"With Sithis' blessing Cicero believes so."  
Rhiannon frowned and looked at the man, he had slipped into the third person again. She had noticed when he had been getting to kill contracts in good time that he had seemed to loose some of that madness that was always around him. She wondered how long it had been since he had killed someone for a contract. She didn't doubt that he was going to be safe to be around, even when he was crazy he wouldn't disrespect the will of Sithis.  
"What do we need to do?" Rhiannon asked.  
"We need a vessel for her and we need to do a specail prayer to the Dread Father." Cicero sighed.  
Rhiannon nodded her head and turned to look at the bed where Aventus lay sleeping. They had waited until dark for him to fall asleep before they had talked anything over, they hadn't wanted to risk word getting out before they were ready. They knew that it would only scare him if they told him what was happening now, before they got everything settled. She looked over at Cicero with a frown.  
"When should we do this?" Rhiannon asked.  
"What do you mean?"  
"We need to find a vessel and then the ritual."  
"Cicero thinks he has found the perfect vessel already."  
"Who?" Rhiannon asked eyes wide.  
"You, sister Rhiannon." Cicero said a smile breaking out over his face. "You have been loyal to the Night Mother, Sithis is very pleased with you."  
Rhiannon leaned back in her chair in shock "Me?"  
"It will be a mostly painless process." Cicero said shrugging.  
"But the Night Mother is usually.... dead."  
"Not true, not true. Cicero has heard of living Night Mother's in the Brotherhood though it has been many years, there was a Khaljiit woman and a Dark Elf at different times." Cicero said slowly. "It would be a rallying point for new members of the Brotherhood to have a living figure head."  
Rhiannon looked at Aventus "What about the Listener?"  
"I don't know the full details but they still required a Listener in those days as well."  
"I suppose it's the only choice we have."  
"It's this or we act as the Falkreath Sanctuary has done. Cicero would rather not do this, we would fall apart from there."  
"We should get this stuff done when he wakes up." Rhiannon sighed. "The sooner it happens is the better."  
Cicero nodded his head and they sat quietly for a few moments. His eyes flicked over to her and he cleared his throat getting her to look back over at him. He gave her a small smile and she relaxed a bit more.  
"Cicero is glad you are alright." he said softly.  
"I'm glad you're alright as well." Rhiannon said smiling.  
"Cicero thought you would be dead when he got here after your letter...."  
"I got lucky. I would have been dead."  
"Cicero almost died as well."  
Cicero explained what had happened at the Falkreath Sanctuary and what had happened to him as he was starting on his way to Morthal. He told her about what he had seen in Helgan and how the dragon had attacked the city, he was certain that the city was gone. Rhiannon gave a hum of sadness at the thought of the city being gone and he realized she didn't seem as surprised by the dragon as he thought she would be.  
When questioned about it she just shrugged "Seems to be our luck lately."  
Cicero chuckled and nodded "Yes it does."

It was late that evening when they stepped back out of the inn and started to make their way towards the house that they had been building. They would do the ritual there and would remain there until they were certain what was going to happen with the new Night Mother ritual.  
Aventus was mostly quiet as the three of them made their way to the house.  
When they got there they saw it wasn't a very large house, just the frame and the stone foundation of the house. They went towards the back of the property by the water that had a small dock already built by the fishery that was there. When they had walked around the dock Cicero said they would stay right there for the ritual and they all sat down beside the water. The three were quiet while Cicero took the container of ashes off of his belt.  
He poured the ashes into a large bowl and then mixed water with the ashes until it was just a thick goo in the bowl. The mixture didn't look all that specail and they gave each other a slight look of worry.  
Cicero turned to look at Aventus then and he seemed hesitant.  
"We're going to pray to Sithis now and see if he gives this blessing for a new Night Mother to be made." Cicero said slowly.  
"What happens if he doesn't bless it?" Aventus asked.  
"Hopefully he will but if he doesn't then maybe he will offer an alternative." Rhiannon said "The truth is we don't know, this hasn't happened in a long while."  
"Really?"  
"It's been a few hundred years." Rhiannon said.  
Cicero nodded "Let's try to invoke him."  
The three sat in a circle around the bowl and they lifted there heads, faces pointed towards the sky with their eyes closed. They took slow even breaths until they seemed to be synchronized with each other.  
"Sithis, Dread Father we call you." Cicero said his voice echoing in the silence. "We need the blessings of our dark father on important matters within the Brotherhood. We have lost the Night Mother, her body burned by the unworthy claiming your blessings for themselves. We offer Sister Rhiannon to you tonight as a vessel for the powers of the Night Mother should you find her worthy of your blessing."  
They remained silent for a few moments and the three waited anxiously. There was no sound and the two adults exchanged looks of worry.  
"Sithis we ask you to give us a sign." Cicero called out.  
Still silence.  
"Sithis, if I am unworthy of your blessing then please give us a sign of who you would like to bestow this blessing on." Rhiannon said her voice shaking slightly.  
The silence was broken by the sound of the wind rushing around them and they exchanged a look of worry again. The wind stopped rushing around them and there was a heavy feeling to the air around them. They felt as if there was a presence around them when they looked at each other and before they could speak the wind started again in a small whirl wind in the center of them.  
The mixture in the bowl started to swirl and the three didn't touch it in worry.  
Aventus looked at the two in fear his eyes wide and Rhiannon reached over to touch his shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. His eyes stayed wide.  
The bowl mixture stopped swirling and the presence didn't fade away instead they felt as if someone was walking around them.  
Rhiannon tensed as her hair seemed to be brushed away from her face and Cicero could see her jaw clench. She lifted her head back to look up at the sky and she closed her eyes, her lips moving slowly as if she were speaking to someone. Then she suddenly went stiff completely and she started to fall backwards towards the water.  
Cicero got to his feet quickly and grabbed her around the shoulders pulling her to his chest. Her body jerked a few times as her lips continued to move as if she were speaking with someone he couldn't see. Cicero frowned and his eyes shot up to look at Aventus.  
"Can you hear anything?" he demanded.  
Aventus was quiet for a few moments and then he nodded "Whispering. A man whispering."  
"What is he saying?"  
Aventus shook his head quickly "I don't know."  
Rhiannon's body jerked then and she sat up quickly almost knocking Cicero off balance as he tried to hold her steady. She looked around wildly and then she grabbed the bowl putting the mixture to her lips. She began to drink the thick liquid down and Cicero ordered Aventus to gather some fresh water for her, he knew she would need it after drinking the ashes.  
The boy darted off and Rhiannon eventually dropped the empty bowl onto the ground.  
"Sister Rhiannon? Are you alright?" Cicero asked pulling her to him.  
She looked up at him and her eyes looked as if she couldn't really see him.  
"Cicero?" she asked softly.  
"It is I, sister." he assured her.  
"Sithis he.... If I didn't drink the mix..... " Rhiannon muttered "He said there's another without his blessing that drank the mixture. He says that she will be dangerous to us."  
Cicero frowned looking around them as if the woman would be there in the watching them already and then it clicked.  
"Astrid." he said softly.  
"That's what I thought." Rhiannon said tiredly.  
Cicero shook his head and then came back to the topic at hand.  
"Did Sithis give his blessing then?" Cicero asked.  
"He gave the blessing."  
"Are you alright?"  
"Thirsty." she whispered. "Very tired. I- ahhh!"  
She jerked back throwing her head back and her hands went to her ears, her eyes wide with tears coming out already. Rhiannon's eyes clenched closed and Cicero held her tightly to him a bit worried that she was dying. He had been around enough dying people to know this isn't how it usually went when they started to die.  
"The voices!" she screamed. "So many voices!"  
Aventus came running quickly with a bowl of water and he looked scared again now. He placed the bowl beside the empty one and he reached out to try comforting her. When his hand touched her they both seemed to go very still and Rhiannon's eyes seemed unfocused again though she wasn't in pain this time.  
"Amaund Motierre in Volunruud." she hissed her voice hoarse from being so dry.

"Lurbuk, Hern, Deekus, Saafia, Narfi, -" Astrid kept muttering while laying on her side in pain.


	7. An Important Target

Cicero peeked into the small tent he had set up on the Morthal property, so they could stay out of the town, to check on Rhiannon before he left. After she had been accepted by Sithis as the new Night Mother and experienced her first Black Sacrament prayer she had been exhausted.  
He and Aventus had set up the tent quickly then Cicero had carried her to the bed letting her settle down while he gave the boy his orders while he was gone. The boy needed to watch over the woman just to be sure nothing happened and that the two of them didn't need to go anywhere far from the house.  
He was going to go check on the prayer to make sure that it was all legitmate and then he would return to the house to figure out what they needed to do from there.  
Cicero patted the boy's head and lifted his pack pulling it over his shoulder.  
"Cicero will return soon, stay out of trouble yes?" he hummed.  
"Yes father." Aventus said nodding.  
"Good lad." Ciceo praised. "Keep an eye on your mother for me."  
Aventus nodded dutifully before turning to go sit by the tent with a book that had been in the bag Rhiannon had brought with her. It was some book she had found to teach him a bit about the Brotherhood, so it was good for him to study.

Cicero arrived at Volunruud by dusk in a few days from when he had left the homefront, he didn't see anything that would lead him to believe it was anything specail. Rhiannon had told him to go here and he was willing to believe she had been blessed by the Dread Father as the new Night Mother. So that meant that he was here to meet a man with a contract for the Brotherhood.  
Cicero walked into the ruins and proceeded along the cobweb infested halls till he came to a door that had no webs covering it. He took his dagger out and readied himself for any sudden attacks and he pushed the door open. He stayed well back from the door just in case there were any traps that could be triggered. The only thing that happened was the door creaked as it was pushed open.  
He stepped into the room and found a man dressed in Imperial armor holding a sword at the ready, Cicero paused noticing that he was protecting a well dressed man.  
"Amaund Motierre?" Cicero asked tilting his head.  
The well dressed man stepped forward face composed as his eyes narrowed at the man.  
"You're from the Dark Brotherhood." he said frowning.  
"Yes." Cicero answered even though it wasn't a question.  
"About time." Amaund snapped stepping forward. "I was told you people were professionals. Can't you get things done in a timely manner?"  
"What is the job?" Cicero asked ignoring the criticism.  
Amaund lifted his head smiling "I represent a party that wants you to kill a very high profile target, one that isn't located in Skyrim at the moment."  
"We can work with that." Cicero said frowning. "Who is it?"  
"The Emperor of Cyrodiil."  
Cicero frowned and tilted his head. He could see the man getting nervous and one of his hands started fidgetting as he stood waiting for the answer. Cicero sheathed his dagger and stepped into the room which caused the guard to step forward as if to put himself between the two.  
"If you are lying to me this will end very bloody for you and your friend." Cicero threatened. "You want me to kill the Emperor?"  
"I represent a party that wants him dead, yes."  
"How do I know you will pay us for this?"  
Amaund reached into a pocket on his fine clothes and he pulled out a gold jeweled amulet that looked very well made. He reached out taking the item in his hand and he examined it carefully before he looked up at the man.  
"I must check that this is real and a worthy down payment for the job, you understand?" Cicero asked watching the man's face.  
"Of course. It's business." Amaund said nodding.  
"Will you be here to discuss the rest of the contract if this meets our standards?"  
"I will be staying at the Bannered Mare with my guard."  
"Very well. If this meets our standards I will meet you there."

Cicero returned to the plot of land and walked along the path towards the house, he looked up at the shell of the house frowning. There were workers there building the house and he gave them a nod as he passed by them, they didn't seem to react to him at all as he went by.  
Cicero went down to the dock where he saw Rhiannon sitting and he coughed a bit so he didn't startle her.  
"Was Amaund really there?" she asked looking up at him.  
He noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes and that worried him a bit. Cicero sat down beside her on the dock and he tilted his head looking at her.  
"He was. Have you been sleeping?" he asked concerned.  
Rhiannon nodded her head "Not very well. What did he say?"  
"He wants us to kill the Emperor of Cyrodiil." Cicero said.  
Rhiannon turned wide eyes towards him and her mouth opened slightly. She turned to look back over the small little netted in pond and she gave a hum.  
"What did they offer as payment?"  
"They offered this as a down payment." Cicero said pulling out the amulet.  
Rhiannon eyed it before saying "Is it worth it?"  
"I need to take it to the Thieves Guild in Riften to find out what it is worth." Cicero said touching the pendant.  
"Alright, how do we go about this after we find out what we need to know?"  
"If it's fake then we will take it out of their hides and if it's real we'll talk over what exactly they are wanting."  
"What do you need me to do?"  
"Find out what you can about Amaund Motierre while I am gone and when I'll head to the Bannered Mare to try to get the information we need." He said nodding.  
"I'll find out what I can."  
The two of them sat quietly for a few moments before he turned to look at Rhiannon who looked even more exhausted then when he had sat down. He reached out slowly and touched her shoulder to get her attention, she looked up at him her eyes drooping a bit.  
"You should get some sleep." he whispered.  
"I hear so many voices." she sighed. "It's hard to tune out sometimes."  
Cicero frowned "It gets like that with me sometimes. The other voice..."  
Rhiannon gave him a sad smile "I'm sorry Cicero."  
Cicero stood up and reached out to grab her hand to help her up. They walked back to the tent they had set up and he glanced into the tent to see that she had a few different pages of paper scribbled on. He glanced at her and she shrugged her shoulders pushing the pages into the corner before she crawled onto the bedroll. He hesitated a bit before he followed her into the tent and he hung back to give her space.  
He looked down at her curiously.  
"Are you going to lay down for a bit?" she asked peeking at him between her lashes.  
Cicero laid down beside her and she slid over to him slowly, she laid her head on his shoulders her eyes drooping closed.  
"Is this okay?" she asked softly.  
"Of course Rhiannon." he assured her.  
Before he knew it she was sound asleep on his shoulder breathing steadily and he found himself relaxing despite how surprised he had been by the intimacy. He wasn't used to people being this close to him or being comfortable with being this close to him, most believed him to be too dangerous to be trusted. Cicero actually started to drift off to sleep and before he knew it he was drifting off to sleep.  
When he woke up it was late in the afternoon and he was alone in the tent, he sat up glancing around the tent for Rhiannon. He didn't see her right off and he got out of the tent, he didn't see her down at the docks so he turned starting to walk back up to the house. He saw her there talking to one of the workers who was pointing to the house and explaining what they were going to be doing with the house.  
Cicero waited for the man to finish talking before he approached her.  
She turned around to look at him and she smiled at him.  
"What did he want?" Cicero asked.  
"Just to inform me on the next steps on the house. How did you sleep?" she asked brows raised.  
"Very well, I will need to get on the road soon." he said then he looked around. "Where is Aventus?"  
"He's taking lessons with Falion." she said "He thinks Aventus has an talent for magic and wants to see if he can master it."  
"He has been a big help hasn't he?"  
Rhiannon nodded her head "I think he understands we make better allies for him then we do enemies."  
Cicero asked "Are you going to be okay here alone?"  
"I'll be fine, it's just for the night."  
Cicero nodded and then the two walked back to the tent to gather supplies for his trip to Riften.

Cicero left the house and Rhiannon watched him go with a tired smile. She noted he was glancing back at her a few times as he went and he didn't seem to want to leave. She just waved him off any time he turned and she walked back to the tent to sit down at the docks with the papers.  
She used a piece of charcoal to write out what she thought she was hearing whispered to her. Rhiannon looked down at the papers and scribbled names that she wasn't completely sure of on the papers. The whispers were getting clearer to her but she was still struggling to figure out what was being said at all times. The whispers were all in this scratchy old woman voice that was very low and she had to strain to hear sometimes.  
Rhiannon stayed there until it was almost too dark to see her papers and then she walked back to the tent to start a fire. She used her old papers that she knew wouldn't be correct to start the fire then she started to eat.  
She sat there for a moment lost in thought until there was a loud snap of a twig behind the tent. Rhiannon grabbed her iron sword -the one she had 'borrowed' from the guard house- off the ground turning to face the approaching threat. She saw a figure walking towards her hands raised as if to fend off her attack.  
She frowned and relaxed a bit.  
"You're one of the workers, that's working on the house." Rhiannon said frowning.  
"Yes ma'am." he said frowning. "I got turned around in the dark trying to get home."  
"And?"  
"I won't be able to find my way in the dark." he said smiling slowly. "Besides it's probably not wise for a woman such as yourself to be out here alone."  
Rhiannon frowned "Leave. Now! And if I see you here again I'll hang your guts from the tops of the trees."  
The smile faded and he stepped forward pointing at her "Now you look here you little bitch-"  
Rhiannon stepped forward gritting her teeth and she slashed her sword across his chest. She left a cut across his chest that wasn't deep but it started to bleed, his eyes went wide as they locked on her face. His jaw set and he started towards her, his hand pulling a dagger from his belt as he approached her.  
Rhiannon didn't let it get to her as he came her way and she took a fighting stance.  
Rhiannon ducked backwards as the man swiped at her with his dagger, the blade going over her without actually hitting her. Once the blade had passed her by she brought herself back to full height and took her own weapon slashing it at his torso. He stumbled back a few steps more than he dodged to avoid the attack and she pressed her advantage. The man's face broke into a smirk as his hand came out grabbing her wrist.  
Rhiannon let out a gasp of shock as the man squeezed her wrist, pressing on the pressure point that was in the wrist. Her hand opened and she dropped her sword to the ground. She looked up in time to see the man's fist before it connected to her face knocking her onto her back.  
She could feel the bleeding already starting from her busted lip, her eyes watered from the pain. Rhiannon stayed on her back blinking rapidly to try to clear her vision and she saw the man standing over her.  
"To bad bitch." he said smirking.  
Rhiannon looked up at him and let out a slight moan.  
The man opened his mouth to speak but before anything could be said there was suddenly an arrow that pierced through his throat.


	8. Together Again

The amulet was real and he knew that meant that the man was genuinely trying to have the Dark Brotherhood murder the Emperor. Cicero made his way back to the city of Whiterun to meet with Amaund at the Bannered Mare, he was more than ready for this job. He needed something to get the Brotherhood back on top after everything that had happened to them, he wanted to rebuild the guild from the ground up.  
He was ready for this and he knew that Rhiannon would be more than ready. She had been very supportive of him from the start of getting to Skyrim, she stood by him.  
When Cicero walked into the gates of the city of Whiterun, he could feel eyes on him. He looked around him at the people he passed and didn't pick up on anyone really watching him like he thought. Then his eyes fell on a group of heavily armored people walking down the street towards the gates.  
A woman in leather armor that didn't cover much of her skin like it should, a man in heavy steel armor, and some younger woman in the scaled armor walked along behind the other two. They eyed him as they passed by -at least the two older warriors did- and he caught a musky smell off of them as they passed. It hung heavy in the air around them as they went by and he knew he recognized that smell. Werewolves.  
He smirked at the and let out a set of whistles that people used to call dogs. That got him a set of glares from the two and a confused look from the younger woman.  
With a smile he kept moving towards the local inn.  
When he entered the inn a few heads turned to look at him but most of the people ignored him. He looked around and towards the back of the room he saw his clients sitting at a table alone. They were just silently watching the rest of the room, untouched tankards sitting on the table infront of them.  
Cicero made his way to the back of the inn and stopped in front of their table giving the two men a smile. They looked up at him surprised and he grabbed a nearby empty seat pulling it up to the table.  
"Cicero has checked your down payment and it has proven to be satisfactory. Now, I assume you have a way you want this done?" he asked smiling.  
Amaund frowned slightly but then slowly nodded.  
"Right, right." he said nodding. "The Emperor is still in Cyrodiil at the moment, he isn't even coming to Skyrim for the marriage of his beloved cousin Victoria Vicci.... but if Vicci was to be murdered. Cut down in cold blood by some Skyrim savage, he would have to show his face here."  
Cicero tilted his head and put one of his fingers to his mouth tapping his lips lightly. He had to admit it could possibly work but there were so many small details that could fall through with that little plan. He would have to ensure that he was able to get to Victoria and then he would have to make sure it was a brutal enough killing to get the Emperor to leave the safety of his palace.  
"I will return to the sanctaury and discuss our plans with the rest of the Brotherhood." Cicero said nodding slowly.  
"I would make a recommendation if I may." Amaund said lifting his hand.  
"Cicero is listening."  
"Kill her at the wedding. That's going to seem political regardless, and would no doubt draw him out." he said smiling.  
Cicero paused and nodded his head slowly.  
"That is true enough." Cicero said smiling. "I will have it arranged."  
Amaund Motierre smiled and nodded his head, already turning his attention away from Cicero. Cicero turned away from the man and made his way back through the crowded inn. He had a lot of work to do now.

Astrid stood over the bleeding body of the simple minded Narfi her dagger still dripping the warm blood from her fresh kill. She smiled to herself pleased with the job she had done but as she stood there watching the pool of blood spread, the whispers were already starting again.  
The hundreds of voices that were just loud enough to drown out her own thoughts, she ground her teeth trying to ignore them. The only thing that had silenced the voices was the death of the people whose names she heard whispered. The blessed silence didn't last long enough for her peace of mind, it wasn't long before the voices started their whispers again.  
The hissing voice she wanted to hear, the one that had put her in this position in the first place remained quiet. She had been hoping for some guidance from the voice but there was nothing showing her the way.  
She should never have trusted the voice.

Rhiannon sat looking out at the water where the light was just starting to flash across it's surface. The voices in her head were mostly quiet now and the longer she meditated on the voices the more she could focus on an individual voice. She was able to make out single names of the people praying to Sithis and the names of those they wanted killed. The longer she had these powers the easier it got to drown them out when she needed too.  
Right now she was sitting listening to her own thoughts.  
Until she heard the quiet shift of footsteps coming down the path behind her, she turned her head and smiled at the redguard man that was approaching her cleaning his hands on a rag.  
"Well the man has been taken care of, his lifeless corpse won't be found by anyone." Nazir said nodding his head slowly.  
"Your help was much appreciated. Where did your little friend go?" Rhiannon asked softly.  
"Babette will be back once it's dark again, don't worry I'm sure she hasn't gone far." he said with a chuckle.  
Nazir gave her a flash of his white teeth and he walked over to join her where she sat.  
"So where is our friend Cicero?" he asked tilting his head. "Last I saw of him Arnbjorn was out to kill him and the Night Mother had been burned."  
"I have a feeling we have much to discuss then." Rhiannon hummed.  
"Best start at the begining then." he said.  
Rhiannon nodded her head and started by explaining she was from the Cyrodiil chapter of the Dark Brotherhood. She explained her finding Cicero and his plan to protect the Night Mother from Astrid whom he sensed was going to betray the guild. She hesitated when it came to telling him about the ritual to make a new Night Mother after the burning of the old one but decided if he was a member of the guild she could trust him.  
He frowned thoughtfully when she told him about the ritual but he didn't protest, simply nodded motioning for her to continue.  
She explained that after the ritual she began hearing voices and Cicero had gone to investigate one of the names to see who the targets would be. She didn't explain that they had found out the target was wanting them to murder the Emperor until she had heard from Cicero if the down payment was actually real.  
When she was done catching Nazir up on what had been happening he nodded his head with a sigh.  
"Seems we're going to be building from the ground up if we want the Brotherhood to survive." he sighed shaking his head.  
"We have the first piece. Sithis wanted Aventus Aretino here for a reason." she said turning to look back at the water.  
"What do you think he wanted the boy for?"  
Rhiannon was silent for a moment but finally she sighed "The Brotherhood will need leadership, one that's been trained the right way. In the way of Sithis and the tenants."  
"And you think that's what the boy will do?"  
Rhiannon shrugged her shoulders "I don't pretend to understand Sithis."  
"You and me both, sister.... or should I say Mother."  
Rhiannon gave him a look and sighed. Being called Mother made her feel old and like she might be the one in charge, she didn't want to be in the leadership position. She would leave that to Cicero, wherever he had gotten off too. As she sat there looking out at the water she wished he was back here now, if for no other reason then he was a comfort to be around right now. Especailly since she was dealing with so many new stresses.

Cicero was leaving the city of Whiterun and getting back on the road, he needed to get back to Rhiannon so they could plan their next move.  
He had just passed through the gates when he heard the loud crashing and the yelling. Curious he stepped to the back of the stables and joined a group of fearful onlookers watching a fierce battle.  
A gaint was fighting the three warriors he had passed earlier in the streets, the two werewolves were holding their own but the human woman among them was already down. They had drug the woman away from the fight and the giant didn't seem to be faltering, despite being outnumbered by the warriors.  
As the man swung his sword cutting the giant across the chest, the archer woman released arrow after arrow into the creature seeming to have no effect on it.  
As they continued to struggle there was another figure that joined the battle. A smaller framed woman came up behind the giant and slashed the back of the creatures legs causing it to fall forward with a cry. The giant caught itself on it's hands and started trying to push up off of the ground, before it could regain it's feet the man brought his sword down on the back of it's neck.  
Cicero smirked, it was a clean cut to the spinal cord. The creature fell forward, dead.  
He turned from the scene as the man in the steel armor walked over to the other woman, a young dark elf woman.  
Cicero turned and walked away from the scene pushing through the crowd that was watching the small fight. He walked along the road ignoring everything else around him now. He had a lot to get done, plans that needed to be made, and people that needed to be killed for one reason or another.

When Cicero got to the crest of the hill where his house was being built he could see the workers hard at there job, finishing up for the day as the sun slowly set. He saw Aventus in the yard with a stuffed training dummy and a steel dagger running through a set of familiar drills. Cicero had gone through the same kind of training when he joined the Dark Brotherhood years ago and he smiled at the memories fondly.  
As he stood watching the boy, a redguard man stepped out from the back side of the house and called out something to Aventus. He recognized Nazir and knew that if he was here then the vampire child couldn't be far from here. It was a very small fraction of what the Dark Brotherhood had been once but if this was all he had to work with then he would make it work.  
He started walking towards the house and he paused feeling the voice starting again. The small laugh just barely above a whisper and he knew it would start to get louder if he went to long without making a kill.  
Rhiannon came around the back of the house then dressed in her dark leather armor - it was the regular Dark Brotherhood armor but it would blend well with shadow. When he saw her she had weapons strapped to her hip and she was walking towards him, he noted that the workers didn't say anything. He knew she had earned the people of Morthal turning a blind eye to some of her activities since she had saved the city.  
The voice in the back of his mind stopped laughing instead it started whispering to him. He had in his own way loved the Night Mother and so had the other part of himself. But she had always been a silent corpse, unfeeling and unable to reciprocate that affection. Rhiannon.... she was the living embodiment of everything he had held so dear for so long.  
"Rhiannon." he said in greeting when she joined him.  
"Cicero, how did it go?" she asked smiling in greeting.  
Nazir joined them and gave Cicero a nod as they stopped.  
"The payment is real, it's quite the price." he told her. "Have you told them about our latest target?"  
"No not yet." she admitted "I wanted to make sure it was real and we weren't being set up."  
"What are you two talking about? Whose our target?" Nazir asked confused.  
Cicero turned his eyes to the man and smiled "We're going to kill the Emperor."


	9. Bleeding Bride

One week later.  
Rhiannon stood towards the back of the gathering watching as the rest of the wedding guests mingled waiting for the bride and groom to give their speeches. The new couple was sitting in the small throne like chairs at the end of the small carpetted area speaking with anyone wishing for an audience.  
Rhiannon cast her eyes up to the tower above the balcony where the two would address their guests. She was waiting for the signal from Cicero to get their plan in motion.  
He was going to set up above the balcony where a stone gargoyle was sitting just above where the bride and groom would be standing for the speeches. Cicero would wait for her to get the bride to go up to the balcony to address her guests and then Rhiannon would give him the silent signal they had agreed on. She just had to wait for him to get into position where he could push the statue off.  
They had taken time before to loosen the statue, a few days before the wedding took place.  
Rhiannon smoothed her hands over the dress she was wearing again trying to get the material to lay a bit better over her frame. She had a few weapons hidden on her that the dress had helped her conceal but the garmet was a nuisance. It's skirts were thick and heavy, the corset was tied just a bit too tightly for her comfort causing her to take smaller breaths then she really needed. If she was lucky she would never have to buy from Radiant Raiments again.  
She was casting her eyes over the crowd again when she caught the movement at the top of the tower, she looked up to the movement. She frowned stepping forward slowly. That didn't look like Cicero.

It had taken longer than she would have liked but Astrid had managed to get the voices to be a bit quieter for her. They were still a constant companion for her and she had no peace of mind because of them. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a full night of sleep. She was exhausted and the longer she listened to the voices there was this sense that she needed to do something.  
It had taken a few days for her to figure out what she needed to do. A voice, that hissing voice came back into her head and began to whisper that there was another woman with the same power that she possessed. That this woman was working with her former allies to rebuild the Dark Brotherhood and that they were stealing her contracts. She had made the plot with Cicero to destroy Astrid's family from the inside out.  
When the voice had told her about the woman Astrid swore her revenge against her, she was the reason she had lost everything she had wanted. Her husband, her friends, they had all betrayed her because of the Cyrodiil chapter of the Dark Brotherhood. She would have her revenge.  
It had taken her a few days to get the information she needed to figure out what the usurper was doing. She found out about the plans to attack the Vicci woman at her wedding and so she had made plans to be there.  
Astrid had set up and waited for the signs that the Dark Brotherhood was there. She had been watching the crowd for any signs of the usurper and when she had spotted the woman she grit her teeth. She appeared unarmed but Astrid was certain that the woman had some kind of weapon on her. She would be carrying something under those skirts, she was sure of that.  
Astrid looked around her wondering where would be the best angle to fire at the woman with the bow she had brought with her and then she had seen him. Cicero.  
Cicero had given up the jester outfit for the regular Dark Brotherhood armor that the rest of the guild wore. He was crouched low making his way to the tower where he would be standing over the balcony for the bride. He hadn't seen her she was sure of that, which gave her the upper hand. She could kill him here and now. Or she could find a way to make the guards aware of his presence, the whole city would come down on him.  
Astrid smiled, this could be fun.

Rhiannon saw the first figure step up to the ledge looking down at her before she saw it dart away. Then she saw Cicero moving towards the tower as if he were unaware of the other person up there with him.  
Rhiannon frowned and started making her way slowly towards the front where the bride was standing. When she got a bit closer she saw a blonde woman peek over the ledge once more at her and her blood ran cold. She had been told about Astrid by Cicero, Babette, and Nazir though she had never met the woman before she was certain she was looking right at her now.  
If this was truly Astrid then that meant she was here to try to stop them from completing the contract or worse, she was here to try killing them. This changed their previously well thought out plans.  
Rhiannon moved forward shifting the long sleeve of her dress letting the small shiv she had hidden there slide out into her palm. She moved towards the bride with a friendly smile on her face looking up at the tower hoping to see Cicero. When she didn't see him or Astrid she expected the worse had happened. Would they need to change their plans?  
Then she heard a scream from the tower and she stopped just like everyone else their eyes casting upwards for the source. She saw Astrid and Cicero struggling against each other on the tower, both grappling for the upper hand with the wickedly curved blade the woman held. Rhiannon's heart skipped a beat causing her to catch her breath as if she had been punched in the gut and she realized she didn't have a lot of time.  
Rhiannon rushed forward while the bride was facing the tower with the rest of the guests. She grabbed Victoria Vicci's dark hair and yanked her head backwards then she stabbed the shiv into the side of her neck violently. Blood gushed everywhere coating the sleeve of her dress and splashing some of the nearest guests who started screaming.  
The unarmed guests started to panic and flee from the attack, the armed guests turned towards her as the bride's screams died out. Rhiannon released the woman as her body collapsed to the ground in a heap, puddle of blood spreading out from her body slowly. She turned away from the body and lunged forward quickly, she pushed through the double doors going up the spiral staircase for the balcony.  
It was the only way to the top of the tower.  
Rhiannon got to the blacony with the sound of the guards hot on her heels and below her she could see archers running into the courtyard their bows already drawn. She spared a single look down at the bride's groom looking between his wife's fresh corpse and the balcony where Rhiannon stood, she didn't miss the relieved smile on his face.  
Rhiannon turned quickly for the stone rails and she jumped onto them then she flung herself forwards grabbing onto the gargoyle beside the balcony. She was able to get a finger hold on the statue and she started pullinbg herself upwards, for the top of the tower.  
She was almost all the way to the top when the arrows starting coming at her. The first few missed by a small distance and she kept climbing. The second barrage of arrows she had to push herself to the side to avoid being skewered in the back.  
She had just reached the top of the tower when one of the archers hit there mark. The arrow hit her in her side and she let out a cry of pain, she had no armor to keep it from piercing her skin. She fell forward grabbing her side feeling the warm wet blood starting to seep out into the fabric of the dress.  
She put one hand on her side and the other she used to start pulling herself up to a standing position. She looked to where she had seen Cicero and Astrid struggling to find that they both were locked in combat.  
Daggers flashed as they tried to land a blow against one another, blades knocking the others away and then a second one would block the attack. They were whirling and spinning kicking at one another when they got the opening to do so. She could tell that Astrid was focused on the battle at hand so she hadn't noticed Rhiannon on the tower with them.  
Rhiannon waited for the woman to have her back to her before she reached under her skirts pulling out a knife that she had concealed there. She started moving keeping in time with their own movements so she didn't miss her mark when she gained an opening. She got her chance when Astrid over stepped stabbing her blade at Cicero's middle, he dropped one of his blades grabbing her wrist twisting her hand. She dropped her blade and they started struggling as he tried to throw her to the ground.  
Rhiannon rushed forward with her blade at the ready and she was shocked when Astrid's leg came up kicking at her weapon. Rhiannon whirled out of the way as Cicero lost his grip of her and had to duck away from her knife.  
Astrid stood straight her weapon held at the ready, stuck between the two Dark Brotherhood members. She turned to look at Rhiannon her eyes narrowing at the woman and she angled her body to face her.  
"So you're the new Night Mother?" Astrid demanded.  
Rhiannon stayed quiet.  
"They say if I end you that I'll have peace and that I will be the only one with this power." Astrid hissed.  
"Over my dead body." Cicero snapped.  
Astrid turned her head towards him with a hateful smirk "Oh, I intend for you to die too. After her."  
The exchange was cut short by the sounds of the guards on the walls running towards them. The three turned towards the sound and then glared at one another.  
"If we stay here we'll all die at the hands of these damn city guards." Cicero said slowly.  
Astrid glared at them.  
"This isn't over." she snapped.  
Astrid darted to the side rushing for the edge of the tower and she made her way down the side of the stone wall. She was gone in moments.  
"There they are!" came a yell from behind them.  
Cicero and Rhiannon turned to see guards already rushing towards them, they didn't have a lot of time to escape.  
The two turned and started running towards the way up that Cicero had used when he was infiltrating the wedding. He lead the way along to where they could climb down to the street where they could escape.  
It was when they were on the street that Cicero noticed she was holding her side, an arrow protruding from the side. Her blood was seeping through the clothing and the whole side of her dress was a dark red color. He stopped her in a dark alley moving quickly and he took his knife out cutting the end of the arrow off, tossing the feathered end away.  
"This will hurt sister." he cautioned her softly.  
Rhiannon swallowed hard but Cicero grabbed the back of her head and pulling her head till she was leaning against his shoulder.  
"Do what you must to keep from screaming." he said softly.  
Cicero grabbed the head of the arrow that was protruding from her side carefully then he began to pull. The arrow drug out slowly and he felt her body tense, blood pulsed out of the wound spilling over his hands. He felt the warm liquid spilling over his hands and it actually made him feel sick to think that this was Rhiannon's blood not a victim.  
Rhiannon let out a soft grunt of pain and her head laid against his shoulder, he felt one of her hands grip his shoulder tightly.  
Cicero pulled out the arrow and once he had it pulled out of her, he gave it a toss down the alley. He bent down to her skirts tearing a piece of the material large enough to tie around the wound. Once it was torn off he stood and began wrapping the bandage around her torso stopping the blood flow as much as he could. He made sure it wasn't so tight it would hurt her but he was certain she wouldn't bleed to death on him.  
The sounds of guards and people screaming were surrounding them now. No one stopped to check the alley, or they hadn't stopped to check it yet. Cicero knew that didn't mean they wouldn't look for them there, it just meant they hadn't occured to them yet. Cicero grabbed her arm and started to pull her further into the dark alley putting away the blades they had been carrying.  
"So Astrid?" Rhiannon asked softly, her breath ragged.  
"So it would seem. This does not bode well sister."  
"No it doesn't."  
"We will worry about this later for now we have to try to escape. She has caused us to lose our initial escape point." he sighed. "Any ideas?"  
Rhiannon frowned and looked out to the street where the guards were starting to check any of the hiding places that they could have tucked themselves into. She examined the stone streets and her eyes fell on a small circle of stone in the center of the street, she recognized it they had them like that in the Imperial City. They always lead to the sewers and the sewers always lead out to the open water after a short time.  
Rhiannon grabbed Cicero's arms and pointed "What do you think?"  
Cicero turned and he frowned "It's not quite as dark as I'd like it to be for us to do this in the open streets."  
"We have to do something."  
"Then it's now or never."  
Cicero took his dagger and then rushed forward to the stone. He shoved his blade into the cracks around the opening and started pressing the blade until it was opened up enough for fingers to squeeze in. Without even waiting for a request for aid Rhiannon was already pressing her hands in lifting the lid. Cicero grabbed it as well and forced it up till they had enough room to slide in.  
"There they are!" came the screams.  
Cicero grabbed Rhiannon shoving her for the hole first, she slid into the opening while he looked back at the approaching crowd. They were all heavily armed and running their way, he didn't linger any longer. Cicero followed her down into the sewers beneath the city of Solitude. It was almost pitch black when he got to the bottom of the ladder and he hesitated unsure which way to go, then a hand grasped his.  
Rhiannon's hand was soft in his and when she whispered for him to follow her, the other voice in his mind thrilled. She was the new Night Mother he would follow her till his dying breath, he realized with a start. He tightened his hand around her's and let himself be pulled along behind her as she moved in what she said she hoped was the right direction. He didn't have a clue one way or the other so he followed her along.  
If nothing else the guards hadn't even tried to follow them into the sewer tunnels, that was the only plus to this.  
It was a few hours later when Rhiannon started to waver in the way she was going but it wasn't the only thing she wavered in. Her steps became stumbling and jerky movements, her breaths puffing as she tried to keep her feet.  
Cicero took note of the actions and slowed down pulling her hand till she stopped.  
"Sister Rhiannon, are you well?" he asked once they had stopped.  
She didn't answer him and that concerned him. Cicero reached out his hand touching her cheek lightly, he didn't want to over step any boundaries she had. When his hand touched her he felt that she had a cold sweat broken out over her skin and he knew if there was enough light that he would see she was pale. He took his other hand and pressed against the wound from the arrow, there was a wet stain already spreading.  
She had bled through her bandages again.  
"We need to seal the wound." he said softly.  
Rhiannon gave a slight hum and she let herself sink to her knees while he helped ease her to the floor. Once she was settled on the floor Cicero turned and started going through his things, he didn't carry much on his person during the jobs. But he knew he had enough to start a little fire, heat his blade, and then he'd be able to press it to the wound. It would hurt more than anything he could imagine, he'd been burned in similiar fashion by mentors before and he hadn't felt well enough to move for a little while after.  
Cicero took everything out of his small satchel and started the small fire placing anything that could keep the fire going on it. The light cast between them was eerie, throwing shadows over their faces that would unnerve them if they weren't to tired to be scared.  
Cicero heated the blade in the fire his eyes on her while he waited.  
"I'm going to need access to the wounds." he said averting his eyes respectfully.  
"I think we're beyond that Cicero." she said taking notice of his averted gaze.  
Rhiannon leaned forward and removed the bandages so that she then open the top of her dress. Once the top was opened she removed her arms from the sleeves and slid it down to her waist. She was left in a thin off white wrap around her breasts, it accented their curve more.  
Once she had stripped and he could see the wounds he was glad that it didn't appear to be to far into her torso, it was mostly a flesh wound. It was still bleeding heavily and causing her to much issue.  
He took a deep breath and faced her.  
"I'm going to seal them now." he said softly. "With us being so far underground ... I think it would be alright if you screamed, if you need to anyway."  
"Thank you." she said softly.  
Cicero took the blade and pressed it to the first wound, the hot metal causing the skin to hiss nder the heat. He heard the sharp intake of breath and he saw her tense, her body stiff as a board. When he was sure that the woun was sealed he put the blade back into the fire letting it heat back up again, he looked up at her.  
She had silent tears running down her face and she looked at him through the sheen in her eyes. The smile she gave him was steadier than he would have thought.  
"Are you alright Rhiannon?" he asked.  
"I've been better." she admitted "I think I'm going to be sick."  
Cicero grabbed her quickly helping her lean forward as her body started to shudder in her involuntary retching. Cicero supported her with one arm and held her hair back as much as he could with his free hand. He looked away from the retching and let her go through the process of emptying her stomach.  
When she was done he helped her ease back to the sitting position.  
"It might be easier for me to get your back if you turned to face the wall. Use it to hold yourself up." he told her.  
Rhiannon nodded her head "I'm ready."  
Rhiannon turned her back to him and leaned forward against the cold stone. Moving quickly he grabbed the hot blade and pressed it against the bleeding wound, the same hissing followed.  
This time she let out a choked wordless scream her body shuddering as he pulled the blade away satisfied the wound was sealed. Once the blade had been pulled away Rhiannon started to fall backwards unable to hold herself up from the shock of the burn.  
Cicero moved quickly, dropping the blade and using his now freed arms to catch her in his arms. She was heavy in his arms and he carefully turned her to where she was looking up at him, her eyes were half lidded as she stared up at him. Cicero took a deep breath watching her and holding her in his lap until she closed her eyes breathing deepening as she fell asleep. He adjusted holding her to where she was laying her head on his shoulder and supported against his chest.  
She needed her rest.

When Rhiannon awoke she was still held in Cicero's arms and he was laying his head back against the stone wall, dozing. She stared at him closely until his eyes flicked down to stare at her, she smiled knowing he had sensed her watching him. Rhiannon gave him a weak smile and he returned it.  
"Are you ready to return home?" he asked softly.  
"More than you can know."


	10. Two Hits

Rhiannon and Cicero made their way back to their Morthal home after managing to find the right way out of the sewers. They were exhausted after the encounter with Astrid had ruined their well laid plans for the attack at the wedding. It hadn't been a great day, they had planned on the two of them being able to escape without being implicated directly in the attack. Instead they had been seen by the guards and Rhiannon had to stab the bride in front of all of the guests.  
Rhiannon had also sustained an injury that Cicero had to burn to seal and that had been time consuming. The sustained injury had caused them to slow their travel, Rhiannon was very low injury.  
Once they had gotten out of the sewers they had slipped off of the docks in the darkness and swam across to the safety of the opposite shore. They hadn't known for sure if they would have to make a daring escape so they had a cache hidden close to Dragon's Bridge of different clothes and extra things they had needed.  
They made their way to where the cache had been hidden and Cicero had her wait for him outside of the town while he retrieved the items. When he returned with the bag he opened it pulling out some light miner's clothes that they could change into to hide the armor he had been wearing.  
When he handed her the clothing she hesitated looking at the clothes.  
"Is everything alright sister Rhiannon?" he asked worried.  
"Yes, only I -" she frowned. "I need help getting this off, it pulls on the wounds when I lift my arms a certain way."  
Cicero frowned and then he stepped over to stand with her. Cicero reached out keeping his movements measured so she didn't misunderstand any of his movements. He carefully took hold of her clothes removing them slowly, as they removed the bloody ones he tossed them to the side.  
Once she was stripped down Cicero helped her get into her new clothing. He kept his eyes averted but as he was helping her get the clothing on his hands ran over her mostly smooth skin. When he brushed across her skin the voice in his mind whispered that she was so soft and maybe the new mother was willing to allow Cicero's touch. He took his finger tips and ran them along the closed wound on her side carefully feeling the raised scar.  
She took a deep breath clearly still sore where she had been wounded, he pulled his hand away quickly shaking the intrusive thoughts out of his head. He shouldn't be doing this, the other voice shouldn't be able to have this much sway over him. He turned away putting his hand to his face taking a deep grounding breath.  
Once she was standing and ready to go they got back on the road.

Once the two were back in Morthal they continued taking contracts that were close to their area and they kept an ear out for the arrival of the Emperor. They didn't get word he was in town but they did get word that his security team was there ahead of time. They also had word that his personal chef was in town as well.  
The Dark Brotherhood stood together and then sat talking together with Aventus sat in on the meeting so that he could learn.  
"So we have the son of the Commander of the Penitus Occulatus coming to check our cities for the safest place for the Emperor and his personal chef is staying in one of the more remote inns." Nazir said thoughtfully. "We should probably kill them within a few days of each other at most."  
"We could use this chef." Babette said nodding. "I'm told it's the gourmet and no one knows for sure who that is. We kill him steal his papers for attending to the Emperor and then one of us gets inside."  
"We kill him from within." Rhiannon agreed.  
The group exchanged looks and then sighed.  
"I will kill the Commander's son." Cicero said "Rhiannon will go after the chef."  
Rhiannon was silent but her eyes narrowed at Cicero as she examined the maps.  
When the meeting was done they all went to ready themselves for the contracts. Cicero and Rhiannon both went to their small camp to begin dressing in their armor with Rhiannon adding her heavy cloak to the armor she was wearing to keep out the cold.  
Rhiannon eyed Cicero while he was getting the upper part of his body, her brows raised when she saw how well built he was. She knew he had to be fit because of the line of work they were in but she was had never seen him without his shirt before. She ran her eyes over the scars that were criss crossing across his back and then along his sides, she was sure that he was scarred on his chest as well.  
As if he could feel eyes on him he turned to look at her and she gave him a smirk, flicking her eyes over him one more time.  
"See something you like Sister Rhiannon?" he asked, she could hear the humor in his voice.  
"You do have an attractive body." she admitted.  
Cicero's eyes widened and he gave her a crooked grin "As do you. Very smooth skin."  
Rhiannon blushed a bit and turned her head back to face her weapons as she selected one checking the edge.  
"So that's what took so long helping me get the dress off of me in Dragon's Bridge." Rhiannon chuckled.  
There was a slight cough from behind them and the two looked back at Nazir, his eyes went between the two for a moment. Cicero turned back to putting on his armor and Rhiannon started attaching her weapon to the belt.  
"Aventus wants to go with one of you." Nazir said frowning. "He could start to learn a little something. I think it would be best for him to get a little field experience but I'm not sure what is good for kids."  
Rhiannon exchanged a look with Cicero, neither of them were certain how much a child could handle. She knew that the boy had been with her when she had killed Grelad, she had left him out in the stables while she had done the deed though. When she looked up at Cicero she shrugged her shoulders.  
"I'll take him with me." she said with a sigh.  
"I'll tell the boy to pack." Nazir said turning around. "Oh. I'm sorry for interrupting whatever I interrupted."  
They didn't miss the laughing as he walked away to go find Aventus.  
Rhiannon looked over at Cicero again, he had his armor on fully now and he was looking over his weapons. Once again it was like he felt her eyes and he looked up at her. Their eyes met and she gave him a smile which he returned.  
"So you like how soft my skin is." she said crossing her arms over her chest.  
He stood a bit straighter and he gave her an unsure smile. His eyes flicked everywhere but her as he struggled to find the right words to say. After a few moments he let out a breath before just nodding his head in quick jerking movements, she gave a laugh before she could put her hand to her mouth to stop it. His eyes went back towards her quickly and she gave him a wide smile, she didn't try to hide the amusement.  
Cicero started walking towards her taking his own measured steps.  
"I do like your soft skin." he said softly. "It feels good under my hands."  
Rhiannon gave him a look and she frowned thoughtfully. She and Cicero had known each other for years, they had been in the same chapter of the brotherhood. They had very close ideals, though she had been sure at first that he was crazy. She had heard stories about him after he had killed the jester and become the Keeper of the Night Mother. Now there was no Night Mother that he was devoted too and he didn't seem as crazy now that he was back doing contracts. He had certainly done a lot to try to keep the Brotherhood from falling apart.  
When Rhiannon came out of her thoughts Cicero was standing in front of her and she gave him a small smile. He was close enough to touch her and she realized that she could reach out to run her hand over his chest. Slowly she did just that and she felt him tense under her hands.  
Then his arms were grabbing her upper arms slowly pulling her against him.  
"Sister Rhiannon..." he breathed. "Night Mother.... I shouldn't..."  
"Please don't call me Night Mother." she muttered.  
Rhiannon felt one of his hands run up her arm till her was tracing his finger tips along her neck until he was touching her face. His fingers took her chin tilting it up slowly to where she was looking into his eyes. She swallowed nervously and she could feel herself blushing at the fire in his eyes.  
Cicero leaned down towards her and she closed her eyes. His lips had just started to lightly press to her's when there was a cry for them.  
"Mother Rhiannon, Father Cicero!" Aventus cried running up to them.  
They seperated and glanced at one another.  
Ciceroo hesitated then whispered "We will continue this when we return. Yes?"  
Rhiannon gave him a nod and he released her as she turned to fetch the boy, she could feel a warmth on her lips where his had touched her. She smiled running her fingertips lightly over her lips, she would be happy to continue everything when they were all back at the house.

Cicero went to the locate the Commander's son, he knew the boy was going to be moving from city to city to find the most secure locations for the Emperor as he went through Skyrim. The Emperor would most likely stay in Solitude even though he might travel for the investigation into what happened to his cousin. He would need to be secure in his travels.  
Cicero had gone to the small settlement of Dragon's Bridge to retrieve the schedule that the Commander's son would be following through each city. When he got the schedule he decided he would get ahead of the boy and lie in wait for him in one of the Strongholds. He started traveling not long after the boy had left the settlement and he made his way to Markarth where the boy would go directly after he had done his check in Solitude.  
Cicero would wait for him in the inn and then he would slay him while he slept since it was the city he planned to stop in. Just in case they found the boys body before they were ready he was going to plant some forged papers on his corpse that would incriminate him in the death of the Emperor's cousin.  
When he reached the city of stone he checked in to the inn and asked for one of their more private rooms. They took him to a room that was towards the back of the inn and then he just had to wait for the target to arrive.  
While he was waiting for the man to arrive he had time to think of Rhiannon. She had been willing to accept his kiss up until they had been interrupted and then they had both had to go back to business. Cicero sighed he would have to make sure they had some time alone when he returned to the house.  
It was late in the evening when the man showed up, Cicero spotted him right away. The young man had barely made any effort to disguise himself, he was still in his full suit of armor which made him stand out like a sore thumb. He saw that the man was armed with a simple steel sword and he was carrying a small bag. He sat down at the bar and ordered some food, Cicero watched him carefully.  
It was a few hours later when the man decided he was going to turn in for the night. Cicero went back to his own room and gave it a little while before he went looking for the man's room. He was hoping that he would be fast asleep after having traveled so far.  
"What room was the Imperial soldier in?" he asked the son of the innkeeper.  
"The hall directly across from yours, the last door on the end." he said shrugging.  
Cicero nodded and slipped him a few gold coins. He knew that the son wasn't happy with the living with his family and his parents wanting him to take over the inn when they died. So he didn't really even try with his job.  
Cicero walked down the hall and shifted his hand under the cloak he was wearing and took the dagger in his hand ready to confront the man. He made sure no one was watching the hall before he reached out trying to knob carefully, the knob didn't turn so he reached into his small satchel pulling out a lockpick. He checked again then started working the pick in the lock, the click made him cringe at how loud it seemed.  
When he pushed the door open it was pitch black in the room and he could barely see. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him to stand in the dark to let himself get accustomed to the darkness. Once his eyes had adjusted he looked around the room till his eyes swept over the bed and he could see the figure of the boy laying in the bed. Cicero walked over to the bed and noted the armor laying over a chair that was at the table.  
Cicero pushed his cloak back and stepped over to the bed. The man didn't even stir until he put his hand tightly over the man's mouth and then he shoved the knife into the man's back. The young man's body jerked and he treid to struggle, they were to weak to make a difference against his attack.  
Cicero pulled the knife out of his back and then he carefully wiped it down on the man's blankets. He put it away and then removed the incriminating papers to plant in the man's armor inner pocket. He turned back to the door and gave the room one more look before he left.  
Once he was back in the hall he relocked the door and then headed back to the room he was staying in. He gathered his things and then made his way out of the inn, not encountering anyone that would remember him.

Rhiannon had Aventus on a second horse riding beside her, he was carrying a small dagger on the belt he was wearing and it made her smile. He had been working with the dagger under the instructions of Nazir and Babette back in Morthal, they said he was doing very well with the weapon. She knew that didn't mean that the child was ready to be around the actual murder and death that went on in the Brotherhood.  
When they got to the inn she dismounted from the horse and tied both of them to the post. She watched Aventus scramble from the horse to follow her into the inn, they walked in to find that the inn was almost empty. They exchanged a look with each other and then approached the bar, the innkeeper greeted them with a smile. They got a room and asked if they were the only ones staying in the inn.  
He admitted that there was another guest but he was staying in the cellar. He also said that the man had paid for the privacy of the cellar room so he expected it to be respected.  
Rhiannon and Aventus went to the room they had rented putting their things in the room.  
"You stay in this room and wait for me to come back. I'm going to complete our contract." she said softly.  
"But shouldn't I go with you?" he asked frowning.  
Rhiannon frowned slightly and thought it over.  
"You're not quite ready for that but when you are I promise I will walk you through the whole thing." she said putting her hand on his shoulder. "I just don't think you're ready yet."  
Aventus frowned and looked down at the floor.  
"Alright." he said softly.  
"I'll be back soon." she promised.  
Rhiannon slipped out of the room and she made her way around the inn to the stairs leading down into the cellar which was situated behind the bar. She move down the stairs slowly worried one of them might creak under the chane in weight from her walking across them. When she reached the flimsy wooden door into the cellar she opened a little at a time until she could slip through into the inn.  
She closed the door behind her and moved quickly into the shadows, she could see the signs of someone clearly living in the cellar. She moved slowly along the shadows that ran around the outter wall and she hid herself behind the barrels of mead that were scattered along the room. Rhiannon came to the end of the room where she saw two double doors up a set of stairs that she was sure that they lead outside.  
She looked around the cellar and didn't see the man so she broke cover going for the doors. Pushing the doors open she stepped out into the cold, there were light flakes of snow starting to fall. Rhiannon came out of the cellar and looked around for any sign of her target, she spotted faint marks in the snow leading towards the lake.  
She walked along the small path following the small imprints in the snow, they went down to the lake where there was a pier built on the water. Rhiannon noticed someone standing on the pier, she was certain it had to be here target since no one else seemed to be staying at the inn.  
Rhiannon walked down to the pier and started moving slowly towards him, the man turned around to see who was coming out onto the pier. The man was a well dressed Orc and when he turned around he frowned at her seeming angry.  
"I was promised privacy." he all but snarled.  
Rhiannon smirked "So you're the Gourmet?"  
He let out a growl "I don't know what you're talking about. I need to leave."  
Rhiannon waited for him to get closer to her and then she grabbed her dagger off of her belt moving quickly. She grabbed the back of the man's head quickly which brought him up short as he looked at her confused. When she drove the blade into his gut and started twisting he let out a cry of surprise.  
The orc started to struggle against her his hands coming up to grab for her throat but Rhiannon didn't let that stop her. Instead she dug the dagger back out of his body and then drove it right back in. When he stumbled away from her she caught him enough to keep him from falling into the water just yet. With a shove she had him collapse onto the dock where she could search his body for the papers they would need to get to the Emperor.  
She dug through his pockets quickly hoping to avoid any blood stain on the letters, they could alter the letters a bit and hopefully avoid forging new ones. She was about to give up looking for the papers on his body when she felt the inner lining of his coat, it was clear that he had another lining sewn into the coat for a hidden pocket. Carefully digging through the hidden pocket revealed the papers she was looking for.  
With the papers in hand she looked at his body and sighed. She couldn't have his corpse being discovered which meant she had to hide it. She put the papers into her own inner pocket and then she turned to the end of the pier, she walked over to the edge. She ran her hands through the snow finding a large amount of stones she had been looking for.  
With the stones in hand she walked back to the corpse and started tucking them into the pockets of the orc. Once she was sure that the pockets were filled she tipped the body over into the water.  
She remained where she was until the body finally started to sink and then she turned looking at the pier, there was blood splattered on the snow. Some of it in large puddles. With a sigh she started scuffing the snow around the pier trying to cover the blood as best as she could, she was hoping the snow that was starting to fall would help with the mess. She doubted there would be anyone around to notice the mess either way.  
The only person here besides Rhiannon and Aventus was the innkeeper. She was sure it was very rare for anyone to actually make the trip to stay at the inn, much less come out to the pier.  
She knew that she was ready to collect Aventus and they would gather their things so they could return to Morthal.  
As she thought about returning to Morthal her mind went to thoughts of Cicero. The almost kiss they had shared before being interrupted and then there was the promise from Cicero that they would continue when they returned. She wondered what all he would have in mind when she returned. She smiled at the thought.


	11. Two False Leaders

Cicero and Rhiannon returned to the house in Morthal without further issue, they found the handed off the information from their contracts to Nazir. He agreed he would get everything finished for the final stage of the contract, he said that they would hopefully be collecting the money by the end of the week.  
While they waited for word that the time had come to kill the Emperor, Cicero and Rhiannon tried to find time to actually continue there activities. The only issue was someone always needed them to do something or was around them for long periods of time.  
They were more involved with Aventus's training now, they were negotiating the finishing touches on the house, planning the best move, and then they were trying to locate Astrid. They hadn't gotten any information on her whereabouts since they had encountered her at the Vicci wedding and they knew they needed to kill the woman.  
Just because they hadn't seen her or heard any news about her yet didn't mean she had given up. They knew Astrid would be coming for them, she was just biding her time.  
So far the only thing they could do was wait.  
Rhiannon was sitting by the water as the sun was starting to set and she could hear someone walking along the path towards her. She glanced back behind her, one hand resting on the dagger on the ground beside her. She was stilled almost immedaitely when one hand grabbed her yanking her backwards and then shoving her down to where she was laying on her back. She smiled when she saw Cicero smiling down at her a glint in his eyes.  
"Cicero is done waiting for a moment alone." he said voice low.  
"Then by all means, delay no longer." she purred.  
Cicero leaned down his mouth pressing firmly to her's, in one of his hands he took both of her wrists pinning them above her head with a moan. She felt him relax his whole body against her's and then he was pressing his leg between her's pushing them open. Cicero's mouth moved along her's hungrily and then he started running his mouth along her neck slowly. She could feel when he started dragging his teeth along her neck, it was firm enough that she knew it would leave marks.  
"We have waited a very long time." Cicero hissed against her skin.  
Rhiannon gasped when he latched his mouth onto her skin and started sucking on the spot.  
She felt his hands starting to roam as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

Astrid hadn't left Solitude after the wedding, instead she had hidden herself in the catacombs beneath the chapel of the divines. She knew that it was risky but she didn't want to leave the city.  
When the Emperor arrived he would staying in this city and if he was here then the Dark Brotherhood would not be far off. She just had to wait for all of the pieces to fall into place.  
When the Emperor finally arrived she didn't miss the news, Elisif and Tulius made a big deal out of welcoming him to the city. She was able to slip into the Blue Palace to see everyone falling over themselves to apologize for what had happened to his dear cousin Victoria Vicci. She thought it was disgusting when she was certain these people barely even knew the woman or even cared about the murder, she was just another nobody to them.  
Astrid watched the get together for awhile and was surprised when another man was brought into the little gathering. From where she was hiding she could swear that the man was the twin of the Emperor, the two looked and dressed exactly the same.  
"So this is your-" Elisif began.  
"My double. He will be making most of my actual appearances here in Skyrim until the murderer is caught." the Emperor sighed looking at the other man. "He was once a well known actor in Cyrodiil."  
"Then I was approached by the royal family to be your look alike." the man said his voice not quite the same as his.  
"So you think the attack on Victoria was a plan against you." Tulius said frowning.  
"One of my royal guards, the son of the Commander, was in on it with a member of the Stormcloaks. With his death it seems that they have given up but I know the killer is still loose. I want his head." The Emperor said looking at his nails.  
"What happened to the Commander?" Elisif asked frowning. "If his son was in on the attack then maybe he was as well."  
"He has been taken into custody for questioning."  
Astrid frowned, that could be useful to her. The Commander would no doubt be angry and ready for revenge against anyone that had been involved with the death of his son. He would hold no love for the Emperor after being imprisoned, an anger like that could be very useful, if used correctly.  
The voices in Astrid's head began whispering to her and enticing her to go after the Emperor, there was a contract on him after all. Astrid ignored the voices muttering to herself about biding her time for the right time to strike.  
Any that passed her on the street would have seen a woman that was looking more and more like a deranged beggar. Astrid didn't notice that everyone was giving her a wide berth.

Cicero awoke to Nazir calling to him and when he lifted his head he could see the man waiting at the opening of the tent. Cicero looked down and carefully extracted himself from Rhiannon who had been sleeping on his bare chest.  
Since they had first made their relationship public to the rest of the guild they had been sharing the tent until their home was finished. With the Night Mother as his new 'wife' Cicero found his mind clearing a bit the mad thoughts kept at bay by his proximity to the Night Mother.  
Cicero pulled the blanket over her and then he slipped from the tent to join Nazir.  
"What is it?" Cicero asked softly.  
"The Emperor is in Solitude." Nazir said then handed him a sealed letter. "These are your papers marking you as the gourmet."  
Cicero nodded his head then glanced to the tent "Tell her where I've gone when she wakes?"  
"Of course. Safe travels Cicero."  
The jester turned from the redguard man and started towards the small stables they had erected. They had a few horses kept in the stable for easy travel to the cities for their contracts.

When Cicero arrived at the city of Solitude he made his way to the soldiers training courtyard, he had been told the Emperor was entertaining guests in Castle Dour. He walked up to the guard at the door and presented his letter of identification to the man, they welcomed him pointing him to the kitchen.  
Cicero found a young woman making some kind of soup or stew that she asked him to explain the recipe. They walked through the whole list of ingredients and she put whatever he said into the pot. He even tested it to see if she would do anything, he listed things like vampire dust, nirnroot, and even a septim. Everything went into the pot and was cooked together, she didn't taste the food when it was done.  
She grabbed the pot of the stew and told him to follow along with her.  
While he walked along behind her he couldn't help but toy with the hidden blade up his sleeve. She was leading him right to the Emperor where he was entertaining the guests.  
She did introductions and he saw the Emperor give a lazy look over to him while sipping at his wine. While she was fixing the food dumping it into their bowls, CIcero started moving closer. He was standing extremely close now and he knew that he could make the kill.  
The Emperor put the spoonful of the food to his lips taking a bite of the food. While his face twisted in disgust at the taste -which Cicero was sure was horrid- he made his move. The blade slipped from hsi sleeve and he rushed forward stabbing the tip into his throat with a loud yell.  
The blood spurted out covering the woman who had been serving him the food to begin with. The guests let out piercing screams and he coul hear the rattle of the armor of the guards heading his way.  
He yanked his blade free and turned to the doors behind the Emperor's chair and ran that way, the guards were all coming from behind him. He knew this might be his only chance to escape from the pursuers.  
He came out of the room to a hallway, to his right guards were coming down the hall and to his left there was a door. He ran left for the door, throwing it open quickly as he escaped out onto one of the castle walls. The doors were slammed behind him and as he whirled around expecting to have to defend himself there was only the sound of locks going into place on the other side. Cicero knew that could only mean one thing.  
A trap.  
"You didn't think it be that easy did you?"

Astrid looked down at the man.  
He stood his dagger in hand, blood covering the clothes he had been wearing to kill the Emperor in. She in turn was wearing her tattered armor and holding a sword she had been given by the Penitus Oculatus to defend the true Emperor.  
"The man you killed was a fake." she told him. "The real Emperor is safely on his boat docked somewhere off shore. You'll never reach him."  
Cicero's eyes narrowed at her "What have you done Astrid?"  
"Well with the death of the commander's son he was driven mad with grief. Managed to get out of his cell somehow and was going to kill the Emperor. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time." she said smirking.  
She had been the one to let the man out of course and it had been his torture at the hands of the guards moreso than grief to drive him mad. They wanted him to confess his involvement in the whole affair after all.  
"They were very happy to hear I had the solution to their problem as well." she told him stepping forward. "I would kill their would be assassain for them, for a fee of course."  
"You won't be able to beat me and even if you could you'd never make it out alive. They won't trust you."  
"But you'll be dead." she said shrugging.  
The two stared at one another for a moment when the man nodded slowly a somewhat unhinged smile on his lips.  
"Well let's get started then."  
Astrid launched herself at the man her sword flashing out at him causing him to dodge away from the impending attack. The sword hit the stone and sparks flashed at the contact as she swiped the weapon where he had been. When she pulled the blade back and turned to try following him with another attack she was met by the heel of his foot slamming into her chest.  
She stumbled backwards the air knocked from her lungs, she slahsed her sword at him to keep him away from her as she steadied herself. When she had steadied herself she turned to him and charged the sword flashing out at him. This time she caught him as he retreated from the attack, the sword slashing across his back leaving a tear in the armor. She didn't miss the blood that started to seep from the wound.  
Panting she turned around to see him facing her, she didn't miss the one glove missing. Before she had time to realize what was happening it was already to late to stop him.  
"Lucien." he hissed.  
There was a burst of blue glowing light that swirled between them. The light faded and a figure of ethereal light stood between them, the same one that had wounded her when he had escaped the Sanctuary. Lucien LaChance, the spirit of a high ranking official of the Dark Brotherhood Cyrodiil chapter that had died a very long time ago.  
His spirit rushed at her a dagger in each of his hands and she was left on the defensive now. She kept her sword up defending against all of the quick attacks the spirit, she deflected most of the blows that would have ended with her dead but she still didn't manage to keep all of them at bay. She had tears, knicks, and gaps in her armor from the blades that she knew there were bleeding wounds beneath.  
Astrid kept her eyes mostly focused on him but she didn't miss when Cicero had regained himself enough to rejoin the fight. The way he started to stalk towards her and trying to get to her back. He would be out of the way of Lucien that way and she wouldn't be able to defend on two fronts he knew that already.  
When he got closer Astrid risked striking at him with her sword. The blow connected with his dagger and he mostly deflected it, though she did see another tear in his armor after from the sword. The attack against Cicero had left her open to an attack as well and one of Lucien's dagger cut into her side making her shriek in pain.  
The blood spattered on the stone beneath them and she backed away from the two opponents.  
"Sithis has ordered your death." Lucien said his voice a drawn out moan.  
Astrid froze "No. That can't be true. I am the Night Mother! I have the voices of the prayers."  
"So does Rhiannon, the one ordained by the Dread Father." Cicero snapped.  
She shook her head violently and she noticed the man inching towards her slowly. He was crouched slightly ready to launch himself at her the first sign of her guard being let down. Astrid backed away from the man and she kept backing away until her back came up against the stone wall. She glanced behind her briefly at the waist high wall keeping her from falling over the edge, she could tell it was a long way down.  
Astrid looked back at the two as they both inched their way towards her.  
"It will be quick Astrid if you just give up now." Cicero said gesturing to her.  
She glared at him, she would never surrender to him. With her sword held tightly in her hand she charged with a loud yell at the two, Cicero spun and slahsed with his dagger quickly. She was so focused on him that she almost missed Lucien's spirit coming up behind her. She turned trying to stop him and she missed both of the attacks.  
On one side she was pierced by the ghost daggers that Lucien carried and on the other she felt the dagger Cicero carried dig into her side. Astrid sank to the stone walkway and she looked down vaguely aware that there was a growing puddle of blood beneath her. She only realized it must be her blood when she realized she was starting to get cold. Was she dying?  
She felt hands lay her on her back and the sword was gone from her hand.  
"Rest...." the raspy voice whispered to her. "Let Sithis guide your soul to the void."  
"The Night moth-" she began her vision going dark.  
Taking another breath was just too painful...


	12. The Final Blow

Rhiannon had awoke a short time after Cicero had left and they informed her of his departure. She was happy to hear that the job was about to be over and went to meditate for awhile by the docks. She was sitting at the docks when she started to hear the voices in her mind again.  
"The real Emperor still lives...." the voice hissed. "You must go to Solitude and kill him."  
Rhiannon's mind went to worry about Cicero but she knew she would find out what had happened to him when she got there. Rhiannon stood from where she had been sitting cross legged on the shore and she realized a lot of time had passed since she had been sitting there. She turned from her post and went to find Nazir.  
When she found him he was discussing the final steps of the house with the builders. When he saw her approaching him he dismissed the builder and came over to her.  
"What is it?" he asked softly. "You've been sitting in meditation for a long time, we were starting to worry."  
"I have to go to Solitude the Emperor still lives." she whispered.  
"What about Cicero?"  
"I don't know yet." she admitted keeping the worry from her voice. "I will find out when I arrive in the city."  
"Alright. Be safe Night Mother, the guild cannot survive without you." Nazir said softly.  
Rhiannon nodded her head and made her way to the stables.

Cicero looked down at the body of the former leader of the Skyrim chapter of the Dark Brotherhood. He wasn't sure what had happened to the woman or the rest of her guild, the only thing he was sure of was she was alone. If she hadn't been her husband would have been here to help her or maybe one of the other two that had remained loyal. He made a mental note to himself that he would figure out what had happened to the rest of them. As soon as the Emperor was dead.  
With the Emperor dead he stepped to the side of the body and looked around the stone wall for his way down. He noticed that there were vines growing along the other side of the wall down into the back alley along the back of the store fronts. He knew he would be able to get down easily that way.  
Cicero looked at the spirit of Lucien who had been bent down examining the corpse. He stood up and then turned to Cicero.  
"The Dread Father is pleased with the death. The Emperor must still be killed." he hissed.  
Cicero nodded "It will be done, don't you worry about that dear Lucien."  
"Should you need me, summon me again." Lucien sighed before he vanished into the blue aura.  
Cicero could hear the sounds of yelling from behind the door that he had exited from and he turned away from the door. He ran to the vines and slung himself off of the side grabbing the vines carefully as he dropped down. He used the vegatation to get to the street below and then he ducked behind the businesses that lined that side of the street.  
He didn't see any of the guards between him and the gate to the city so he took off running. When Cicero got through the gates and out onto the streets , he turned down the stone path heading for the docks. They had mentioned the Emperor had been off of the mainland and was hidden in his boat.  
Cicero was ready to get to this job over with.

Rhiannon pushed the horse to it's limits to get to the city of Solitude, the horse was exhausted by the time she got there. She got off of the horse and tossed the reins to the young boy working the stables, he promised he'd take care of the animal.  
She reached the gates to find that the guards had secured them and no one was allowed inside. When she questioned them they admitted that the Emperor's look alike had been brutally murdered and that the killer had escaped. They had sealed off the city while a search was under way and they had been unsuccessful thus far in the search. The guard explained to her that she would be allowed inside once they were certain that the killer wasn't still at large.  
Rhiannon walked away from the gates and moved towards the docks.  
She knew there were sewer grates that would lead to the tunnels under the city. Rhiannon moved quickly along the docks and she paused when she heard a familiar voice asking a dock hand questions. When she rounded the corner she saw Cicero speaking with a young dock hand and she saw him slip the boy a few coins.  
When he looked up and his eyes met Rhiannon's she gave him a wide smile. Cicero grinned and then walked towards the woman, one hand grabbed her upper arm pulling her along with him.  
"Cicero what has happened since we last saw each other?" she asked glancing at him.  
"The man I killed was not the Emperor but I have just bought information for where he is docked from the lad you saw me speaking too." he informed her. "Astrid is dead."  
"That is good to know." Rhiannon said softly. "So now we go after the Emperor."  
The two left the docks and went across the stone bridge over the East Empire Warehouse. When they were out of sight of the guards the two took off at a sprint towards the small dock that was out by the lighthouse.  
Once they were there they could see the ship off shore docked in the shadows from the setting sun. They went to the edge of the docks and agreed they would swim out to the ship and find a way on board from there. They knew there would be an opening around where the anchor left the ship that might be big enough for them to slip inside.  
The two swam out to the boat keeping under the surface for most of the swim only breaking the surface of the water to take a breath. They got close to the boat and kept themselves moving along the edge of the boat hands pulling them along the wooden surface of the boat. They came to the side of the boat with the chain submerged and they grabbed onto it and started pulling themselves towards the opening.  
When they got to the top of the chain Cicero helped balance Rhiannon as she grabbed onto the lip of the opening to the pull herself in. Rhiannon slipped into the opening with little difficulty and once she was inside she turned to stick her hand out to help pull Cicero in through the opening.  
Once they were in the ship they looked around to check and see where exactly they entered. The two found themselves in one of the storage areas and it didn't appear to be guarded by anyone.  
Keeping to the shadows they made their way through the boat till they got to the living quarters. Here they had to creep along at a much slower pace to try to get past any of the men that were still awake as they went by. When they got to the more open area of the ship the two knew they might have to cut down a few of the guards.  
"You go to the left and I'll go to the right." Cicero said nodding.  
The two split up with their daggers in hand.  
Three guards had fallen at their hands by the time that they had regrouped together on the other side of the room. The take downs had been mostly silent but after a moment there were more guards coming into the rooms on their rounds. They turned to face the oncoming attacks, by the end of the fight the two were armed with a sword and daggers.  
With blood staining their clothes and panting from the exertion they turned going towards what they knew would be the Emperor's quarters. The doors were two large ornate double doors with the Imperial dragon etched on each one.  
Rhiannon bent to pick the locks that were keeping the place locked up while Cicero watched her back. They didn't know how many of the crew were still left alive or if they had signaled for any kind of help so they had to be on guard.  
When the lock clicked open the two slipped inside the large room. There were tapestries hung everywhere with display boxes holding all sorts of old items from the ruins in Cyrodiil. There were large bookcases lining the walls with every book imaginable on the shelves. There was a large desk on a raised portion of the room and a door to the side of the desk where they were sure the Emperor slept.  
When they entered the room there was an older man standing facing the shelves dressed in fine robes with a circlet sitting upon his head.  
"So you are the ones." he said loud enough for them to hear.  
"You've been expecting us." Cicero said frowning.  
"I have." the man said turning around to face them. "It is your destiny to kill me and it is mine to die at your hands."  
The Emperor moved to stand in front of his desk and they could see the exhaustion on his face, the deep wrinkles settling there. He was a man old before his time.  
"But I do have one favor to ask." he said eyeing them. "Kill Amaund Motierre, yes I know it was he who hired you. Take anything in this room for your payment so long as he dies. Alright.... Do what you must."  
Cicero glanced at Rhiannon and then he approached the man.  
When they were standing in front of one another Cicero looked at the woman once again where she had been moving behind him.  
"It will be as quick as possible." Cicero promised, stepping away from the man.  
Rhiannon moved quickly grabbing the Emperor's forehead yanking his head back, then she drug her blade across his throat with a quick jerk. Rhiannon slowly eased the dying man to the floor with the help of Cicero who gave her a nod.  
"We did it." she said smiling. "Shall we see to Amaund?"  
"I will take care of it." Cicero vowed then he reached down grabbing the circlet from the man's head along with his necklace. "These will more than pay for it."  
"Let us get out of here." she said nodding.

A few months went by and after the death of the Emperor the fame of the Dark Brotherhood grew. The Brotherhood grew by two new adult members of the guild and their guild hall was moved to the Dawnstar Sanctuary where they could house the new members.  
It wasn't long after the new sanctuary was got up and running that the Dark Brotherhood contracts began rolling in. With a living Night Mother they were able to follow Sithis's will a lot easier and they gathered his new followers as he instructed. The children of Honorhall Orphanage moved into the sanctuary.  
After the death of Grelod the Kind the children of the orphanage had given the Dark Brotherhood something akin to God statis in there halls. When they were offered a place within their ranks they had eagerly joined with the group.  
With the ranks of the Dark Brotherhood growing and the contracts coming in steadily there was no longer a fear of their people dying out.


End file.
